Justice Dane Tuiqereqere faced verbal abuse from a defendant during a High Court hearing in Suva on Tuesday. Tomasi Bose reacted angrily after the judge suggested for the third time that he seek legal counsel, having previously declined the offer twice.
Following the incident, Mr. Bose was promptly removed from the courtroom. Before this altercation, he accused correction officers at the remand center of assaulting him and destroying a production warrant issued by Justice Usaia Ratuvili. Mr. Bose expressed his intention to lodge a formal complaint against the officers, which Justice Tuiqereqere approved, instructing the escorting officers to take him to the nearest police station.
However, DPP prosecutor Zenith Zunaid noted that Mr. Bose’s claims had been previously raised without success. He suggested that there were other avenues available to assist the defendant and opposed bail due to ongoing criminal cases against him.
Mr. Bose was in court to discuss pre-trial matters, with the main trial scheduled to take place from July 21 to August 1 of next year. The case has been adjourned until September 10.