Eight people appeared in the Suva Magistrates Court today for allegedly breaching social gathering restrictions, and further curfew directives have been imposed on these people.
One group was caught drinking alcohol while another group was caught playing basketball.
They all have been charged with Failure to Comply with Orders of the Public Health Act.
Samuela Kamikamica, Frank Bennet Shaw, Savirio Tukana and Keni Sakowai pleaded guilty to drinking liquor at the back of a service station in Lami.
Magistrate Liyanage Kashyapa Wickramasekara labelled all the offenders as a menace to society.
Magistrate Wickramasekara says he does not see any reason why the four should have breached the social gathering restriction as they are all aware about the law for about 3 weeks or more.
He says remanding the four will pose a risk to other people in the remand centre as they may carry the virus with them to the remand centre.
The four have been released on $200 cash bail, have been told to sign a personal bond of $2000 and have been ordered to comply with an additional curfew hours from 2pm to 10am everyday.
Meanwhile, four USP students, Tyrone Peni Francis Hill, Maurice Godfrey Dauson Hill, Sunia Leota Vela and Jone Veimatiyaki Vatulowa were allegedly playing basketball at 5pm Sunday.
Magistrate Wickramasekara says he does not see basketball as an essential service in anyway.
The four students have been released on $200 cash bail, they have been told to sign a personal bond of $2000 and have also been ordered to comply with additional curfew hours from 1pm to 10am everyday.
Magistrate Wickramasekara says failure to comply with any of the conditions will result in the cancellation of their bail applications and they will be remanded in custody till the conclusion of the matter.
Both cases will be called again on the 3rd of July.
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