The Suva High Court today reviewed the decision by the Nadi Magistrates Court and refused bail for Nadi Immigration Officer, Josateki Toga who is charged with bribery.

Judge Justice Daniel Goundar said the accused Toga, is a Senior Referral Supervisor of the Immigration Department from Nadi and it would not be in the public interest to release Toga as he may interfere with investigations.

Toga is charged with one count of bribery under the FICAC bribery promulgation and it is alleged that Toga allegedly accepted $500 as well as a new Nokia mobile phone from a Stephen Mallerich, for uplifting the travel history of Mohammad Fanam Ali from the Immigration Department.

According to Justice Gounder, Nadi Magistrate Mosese Naivalu had denied FICAC the right to produce evidence on the strength of their case and this was a serious irregularity. He said if Magistrate Naivalu had taken the evidence into consideration, he would have known that the accused was a risk to investigations.

Justice Goundar also added that the Court should have taken into account that the accused was a senior Immigration officer and could have accessed and destroyed evidence as he has not been terminated from his post. Toga was under surveillance by FICAC for awhile and had been arrested by FICAC officers on the 23rd of July at 11am, where he was arrested with the bribery money on him.

The Case will be heard in the Nadi Court tomorrow.