Munro Leys lawyer Jon Apted has today told the Suva Magistrates Court that they are withdrawing as legal counsel for Fiji Times Limited, its General Manager and Publisher Hank Arts and Editor-in-Chief Fred Wesley.
The new counsel for the newspaper, Arts and Wesley is Faizal Hannif while Nancy Choo of R.Patel Lawyers is now the lawyer for Nai Lalakai Editor, Anare Ravula.
Aman Ravindra Singh is representing the newspaper contributor, Josaia Waqabaca.
DPP lawyer Yogesh Prasad told the court that they will be opposing bail variation for Hank Arts and they have already filed the affidavit.
The matter has been adjourned to 6th October for the bail variation hearing.
Fiji Times Limited, Hank Arts, Fred Wesley, Nai Lalakai Editor Anare Ravula and contributor Josaia Waqabaca have been charged with inciting communal antagonism.
Director of Public Prosecutions, Christopher Pryde has said that the charges have been laid under the Crimes Decree in relation to an article published by the Fiji Times in its supplemental iTaukei language newspaper Nai Lalakai on 27th April, 2016.
It is alleged that Josaia Waqabaca, Anare Ravula, Fred Wesley, Hank Arts, and the Fiji Times Limited made, or caused to be published, a statement in the Nai Lalakai that is likely to incite dislike, hatred, or antagonism of the Muslim community.
The court had earlier told them to surrender their passports and they have been released on bail with $1,000 sureties each.
The maximum penalty for the charge is 10 years imprisonment.
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