33-year-old Afroz Ali, who is charged in connection with a series of alleged sacrilege cases in Ba has been remanded in custody.
Ali, who is from Varavu in Ba, appeared in a special court sitting in the Ba Magistrates Court today.
He is charged with three counts of sacrilege and six counts of breach of order of suspended sentence.
Ali is alleged to have unlawfully entered three temples and stolen religious statues, which were later found damaged.
One of the incidents allegedly occurred at a temple in Rarawai on 5th November, where the accused is alleged to have stolen a religious statue.
The statue was later found in pieces in a nearby creek.
The case will be called again on the 30th of this month.
