The case in relation to the 7 men accused of raping and killing a 22 year old woman in Nasinu two years ago continued in the High Court this morning with the defense counsels scrutinizing the accuracy of the statement given by the prosecution witness.

20 year old Ema Tauyavu of Omkar Street in Narere told the High Court in Suva that one of the suspects, Anesh Chand threatened her with a cane knife and ordered that she mutilate the body of her best friend on the night of June 8, 2008.

The 22 year old woman's body was found days later floating along the Narere River.

Chand is charged with other accused, Keshwa Nand, Vikash Chand, Sat Dewan Nair, Ilaitia Waqa, Binesh Kumar and Anil Singh.

The Defense counsels grilled Tauyavu on how reliable her police statement was that was taken on the 7th of July 2008, almost a month after the incident occurred, especially as she had stated in her statement that she was high and drunk on the night in question, as she had been drinking beer and had a puff of marijuana.

Tauyavu was also questioned as to how she managed to identify the six accused as it was dark and that she was obviously in an intoxicated and drugged state.

Tauyavu however maintained that she remembers everything that happened that night.

When questioned on whether she was offered immunity if she gave evidence against the six men, Tauyavu confirmed that she was offered immunity by the prosecution.
 
The defense counsels also raised questions on why her police statement differed from her statement in court, when it was pointed out that she was stating that the 6 men came on foot to the park which she was with the deceased and one of the suspects Anesh Chand, whereby her police statement only mentioned four men.

Tauyavu maintained that she clearly recalls that there were six men despite her police statement saying otherwise.

The trial continues tommorrow in the Suva High Court.


Story by: Ana Naisoro