Apisai Madigibuli, who is facing murder charges in connection with the death of his pregnant wife, has been deemed a significant risk to the community by State Prosecution, prompting objections to his bail request.
Madigibuli appeared in the Suva High Court before Justice Diane Tuiqereqere, charged with the murder of 25-year-old Kitiana Baravilala, who was six months pregnant when she was allegedly killed at a Suva apartment complex on July 28.
Prosecutor Monisha Naidu contended that granting bail would pose considerable dangers. She noted Madigibuli’s prior convictions, having been sentenced in 2022 and recently released in December. Naidu described the alleged crime as heinous and referenced Section 26 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1997, indicating that rehabilitation starts only after reintegration into society. She emphasized that Madigibuli had committed another serious offense shortly after re-entering society.
Naidu provided a distressing account of the cause of death and raised concerns that Madigibuli’s release could jeopardize potential witnesses. She also expressed doubts regarding the reliability of the two sureties, who reside in Nadi, further complicating the bail decision.
The prosecution emphasized that if convicted, Madigibuli would face a custodial sentence and highlighted the likelihood of him failing to attend court if released on bail.
Defense attorney Paula Gade requested additional time to respond to the prosecution’s claims, seeking an extension until September 30. She also questioned the thoroughness of the State’s checks on the sureties, leading Justice Tuiqereqere to advise swift verification of their credibility.
The court adjourned the case to September 23 for pretrial conference discussions and to make a ruling on the bail application, while extending the production order for Madigibuli.