A man accused of setting fire to the Navuso Agricultural Technical Institute on April 7 has been mandated to maintain distance from a friend to whom he reportedly confessed the crime.
Emosi Tikoicina, charged with arson, appeared before Justice Thushara Rajasinghe for a bail application hearing at the High Court in Suva.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions lawyer Zenith Zunaid requested the court to impose an order preventing the accused from approaching all prosecution witnesses, especially the friend he allegedly confessed to about the incident.
During a previous session, Mr. Zunaid noted that the accused had purportedly made verbal admissions of the crime to a friend, the officer who arrested him, the officer who interviewed him, and a Justice of the Peace.
In the meantime, Mr. Tikoicina has been released on a $500 non-cash bail bond, providing two sureties: his father and cousin, who are also bonded for the same amount.
He has been reminded to adhere to the bail conditions specified by the court while out on bail.
Mr. Tikoicina is scheduled to return to court on September 30.