Two Cyprus nationals, Loizos Petridis and Cleanthis Petridis who are charged with obtaining financial advantage by deception have been denied bail by Suva Magistrate Joseph Daurewa.
Magistrate Daurewa highlighted that their immigration status was not taken into consideration when their application for bail was made adding their visa had expired.
He further said that Loizos Petridis and Cleanthis Petridis can appeal in the High Court.
Their lawyer, Filimoni Vosarogo had earlier made the bail application in the Suva Magistrates Court on the basis that it would be two years in February next year since the two have been in remand and according to Fijian Law, the two would be entitled to bail as a person cannot be in remand for more than two years.
It is alleged that in December 2017, they were allegedly engaged directly or indirectly in obtaining $95,590 which were proceeds of crime – while knowing it was derived from some form of unlawful activity.
It is also alleged that in December 2017 they procured $41,540 from the Bank of the South Pacific with the intention to permanently deprive the bank of the amount.
It is also alleged they possessed $203,009 suspected of being proceeds of crime.
The case will be called for mention on the 13th of next month.
