A man who is charged with impersonation, obtaining financial advantage by deception, theft and absconding bail has alleged in the Suva Magistrates Court that he was tortured in police custody.
Binesh Kumar Raj told Magistrate Jioji Boseiwaqa today that he does not want to be in the same room with the other accused persons in the holding cell block as he is afraid of being allegedly tortured by them and the police officers.
Raj says he wants a court order to allow him to be held in a separate cell.
Police Prosecutor Sanil Kumar then told the court that police officers did not torture Raj but were trying to stop him from using the electrical wires in the cell to hurt himself.
Raj then said that he is guilty because he did try to hurt himself in the holding cell block.
Magistrate Jioji Boseiwaqa has set the 13th of January this year for Raj to take his plea saying he wants to give the accused time to find a private lawyer.
Binesh Kumar Raj also known as Avinesh Kumar Raj is charged with one count of impersonation after falsely representing a health inspector on the 28th of October 2014.
He is charged with another count of obtaining financial advantage by deception after allegedly obtaining $200 from a person with the promise of providing a business license.
Raj is also charged with another count of impersonation and obtaining financial advantage on the 7th of November 2014 after allegedly falsely representing a health inspector and received $1,000.
He is also charged with one count of theft on the 10th of February last year after allegedly stealing assorted items worth $11,100 from a house in Suva.
He was released on bail on 15th April last year and failed to appear in court on 17th March 2016.
Raj was then arrested on 17th of November last year and charged with absconding bail.
Police had earlier confirmed that Kumar will also be questioned for his alleged involvement in three rape cases.
He allegedly raped three women after befriending them on Facebook and then arranging to meet with them at the motel on separate occasions.
