Apisai Madigibuli, who stands accused of murdering his pregnant wife, has been deemed a significant risk to the community by the State Prosecution, leading to objections against his bail application. Madigibuli appeared in the Suva High Court before Justice Diane Tuiqereqere, facing a charge of murder.
The 27-year-old is alleged to have killed 25-year-old Kitiana Baravilala, who was six months pregnant, at an apartment complex in Suva on July 28. Prosecutor Monisha Naidu contended that granting bail to Madigibuli would pose considerable risks, highlighting his prior convictions and recent release from prison last December.
Naidu described the crime as gruesome and invoked Section 26 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Irrelevant Convictions) Act 1997 to argue that Madigibuli had not adequately reintegrated into society following his previous sentence. She expressed concerns about the potential danger to witnesses if Madigibuli were released and questioned the reliability of the two sureties proposed, as they reside in Nadi.
Naidu informed the court that a conviction would likely result in a custodial sentence for Madigibuli and suggested there was a significant chance he would not appear for future court proceedings. Defense lawyer Paula Gade requested additional time to respond to the prosecution’s arguments, seeking an extension until September 30. She also questioned the prosecution about verifying the sureties, which prompted Justice Tuiqereqere to encourage the prosecution to confirm their credibility promptly.
The case has been adjourned until September 23 to discuss pretrial conference matters and make a decision regarding the bail application. The production order for Madigibuli has been extended.