5 men convicted in 2015 of notorious BSP robbery acquitted by Fiji Court of Appeal

Five men convicted in 2015 for the notorious robbery at the Bank of South Pacific Samabula Branch in 2012 have been acquitted by the Fiji Court of Appeal.

Josaia Usumaki, Kunal Prasad and Deshwar Dutt represented themselves in the appeal case while Tevita Sugu and Solomoni Qurai were represented by Legal Aid lawyers, Seremaia Waqainabete and Salote Nasedra.

Usumaki and Prasad were serving 17 years and 12 years respectively with a non-parole term while the others were sentenced to 4 years and less.

Their convictions have been set aside by the Fiji Court of Appeal.

The Fiji Court of Appeal noted errors in identification evidence highlighting that the prosecution failed to prove the involvement of the five men.

More than 70,000 dollars cash in local and foreign currency was stolen from BSP Samabula Branch on 19th September, 2012.

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