Soldier who assaulted Verebasaga identified
Taking the witness stand, Police Sergeant Sarwan Singh said he was on duty at the Command Centre on 5th January 2007 at 4.30am when he received a call about a minivan being seized by military officers.
Singh said he went to investigate and enquire about this near Lelean Memorial School at a checkpoint where the military were, and as he got closer, he could hear military officers yelling at a Fijian man who was on his knees. He recalls that he saw the accused hitting this man about three to four times.
When asked by State Lawyer, Wilisoni Kurisiqila on why he did not do anything to stop the beating, Singh said he did not want to interfere with the military officers. Defence Lawyer, Haroon Ali Shah then asked Singh whether he had made a note of what he had seen, Singh said no, it was the responsibility of the charging officer.
A second witness Police Inspector Viliame Caqusau who was based at Nausori Police Station in 2007 explained about the Identification Parade he conducted six months later following Verabasaga's death.
Caqusau told the court that he was given a list of nine soldiers who were all based at Nausori on 5th January, 2007 when Verebasaga was being held under Military custody. He said when Sergent Sarwan Singh was called, he pointed out Vuniwawa but when Constable Arvind Narayan was told to identify the accused, he pointed at another soldier, Inoke Tokula. Case is adjourned to 9am tomorrow.
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