The husband of a Fiji national found fatally burning on the side of Huntly road last week appeared in the Hamilton District Court this afternoon charged with her murder.

New Zealand Herald said 29-year-old Divesh Sharma was calm and silent when he appeared briefly before a Community Magistrate and was remanded in custody until Tuesday for a further appearance.

28-year-old Ranjeeta Sharma was found burning last week and soon after her husband Divesh Sharma, and son Akash, left for Fiji.

The magistrate declined an application for name suppression, telling the court that the media had already provided a blow by blow account of the tragedy and name suppression was not sensible.

Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall said Sharma had not been arrested in Fiji and as he returned voluntarily, extradition had not been necessary.

Keall said one of the main priorities for officers in working in Fiji had been establishing the ongoing care and protection of the victim’s four year old son who has returned to New Zealand.

Child, Youth and Family Midlands Regional Director Greg Versalko said he is being well looked after by Child, Youth and Family foster parents in the Waikato at the moment as there is no family immediately available in New Zealand to care for him.


Story by: Roneel Lal
Source: NZ Herald