A commoner and a Ratu or Adi are the same in a court of law.
The words Ratu and Adi should be left outside the courthouse.
That’s High Court Judge Justice Salesi Temo’s comment to the Director of Public Prosecutions lawyer Lee Burney in the Deuba rape and murder case this morning.
Justice Temo told Burney to tell the drafters of the charges that those coming to court with criminal cases should not come with words like Ratu or Adi.
He said one of the files for the Deuba case has the word Ratu in it.
39-year-old security officer Josua Colanaudolu appeared before Justice Temo today for charges in relation to the rape and murder of the 14-year-old girl in Deuba last month.
Colanaudolu is facing two counts of rape, one count of murder and one count of abduction.
He has also been charged for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in 1998.
Colanaudolu is also facing a rape charge in relation to the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in 2002 and the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in Deuba two years ago.
Four files were submitted to the court today.
The DPP lawyer told the court that the state intends to consolidate the charges on the grounds that it involves a series of similar offences.
Justice Temo then asked defence lawyer Isireli Romanu if he has any objections.
Romanu consulted Colanaudolu and said that his client does not have any objections.
The application has been granted.
The state has been given 21 days to file the consolidated charges and other information.
The matter has been adjourned to the 6th of May.
Colanaudolu has been further remanded in custody.
