Eight men appeared in the Suva Magistrates Court for allegedly attacking police officers last Friday near the Mead Road Housing Complex in Nabua.
Security was tight around the court house as many people connected to the eight men came to the Suva Court House to check out the proceedings.
Jone Vakarisi Junior, Tevita Bulanaivalu, Ledua Gudru, Sekove Serukalou, Jese Sorovi, Toni Sokoiwasa, Chanel Antonio and Mark Ross have been charged with going equipped for theft, criminal intimidation, damaging property and resisting arrest.
One of the accused, Sekove Serukalou requested Magistrate Liyanage Wickaramasekara if they could be given medical attention.
Magistrate Wickaramasekara said that the court had observed that the men were already provided medical attention.
Serukalou then said that only some of the men had received medical attention, and he claimed that he had a broken skull, others had broken bones and ribs and police had not given them a chance to get what they wanted.
He said the police only had damage to their car while they had broken bones and ribs.
The magistrate then had ordered that the men who needed medical attention be taken to CWM Hospital.
Vakarisi’s lawyer, Jiten Reddy then informed the court that his client wished to lodge a complaint against police for damaging his car and the magistrate ordered that Jone Vakarisi Junior be escorted to the police station to lodge his complaint.
Reddy also applied for bail however Magistrate Liyanage Wickaramasekara refused bail for all eight men, saying that it is a serious offence.
The case has been adjourned to the 20th of this month.
Police Constables Waisale Senikavika, Ronald Krishna, Robakibau Drotini and Special Constable Talikai Kavou based at the Southern Highway Division were on routine patrol at around 2am last Friday when they sighted the occupants of two vehicles acting in a suspicious manner and upon approaching the men, they saw that the men were allegedly armed.
The two groups fled the scene in their car and the officers went after them which ended at Mead Road Housing where the two vehicles allegedly blocked the police car from the front and rear.
The men in the two vehicles allegedly struck the police car with iron rods and cane knives while others stoned the vehicle with the officers still inside and unable to get out.
The Police car sustained extensive damage.
Back up was called in and in a matter of minutes close to 60 officers from various Southern Division Units arrived at the scene.
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