Apisai Madigibuli, who is facing charges for the murder of his pregnant wife, has been classified as a high risk to the community by State Prosecution, sparking opposition to his bail request.
Madigibuli appeared in the Suva High Court on Monday before Justice Diane Tuiqereqere, where he faced one murder charge. The 27-year-old stands accused of killing his 25-year-old wife, Kitiana Baravilala, who was six months pregnant, at an apartment in Suva on July 28.
Prosecutor Monisha Naidu highlighted the significant risks associated with granting bail to Madigibuli, noting his criminal history which includes a prior conviction from 2022; he was released less than a year ago in December. Naidu described the crime as particularly heinous.
She referenced Section 26 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Irrelevant Convictions) Act 1997, which states that rehabilitation is considered only after someone has reintegrated into society. Naidu emphasized that Madigibuli had barely resumed his place in society before allegedly committing another serious offense.
During her argument, Naidu detailed the distressing circumstances surrounding the victim’s death and raised concerns that releasing Madigibuli might jeopardize the safety of witnesses. She also questioned the reliability of his sureties, who reside in Nadi, which cast further doubt on the viability of his bail application.
Naidu warned that if Madigibuli were convicted, he would likely face a custodial sentence and might not return to court for subsequent appearances.
Defense attorney Paula Gade requested additional time to respond to the State’s arguments and asked for an extension until September 30. She also raised questions regarding the verification of the sureties, leading Justice Tuiqereqere to prompt the prosecution to quickly confirm their credibility.
The case has been postponed until September 23 when pretrial conference matters will be discussed and a ruling on the bail application will be made. Madigibuli’s production order has been extended.