A 30-year-old man, who is alleged to have caused the death of two students aged 14 and 18, has been granted bail with strict conditions by the Magistrates Court in Nausori.
Pauliasi Sukanatabu appeared before Magistrate Lasitha Chaminda yesterday.
Due to the impact of the crash, Sukanatabu had sustained injuries. He appeared in court with a cast on his left leg and bandages on his right leg.
Sukanatabu walked with the assistance of crutches and a relative.
He is charged with two counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and one count of dangerous driving.
The alleged incident occurred on November 8 along Kings Road near Naviveiwali in Wainibuka, Tailevu.
The victims were passengers in a car driven by the accused and were heading towards Suva after 3 am when the accident occurred.
The driver is alleged to have lost control of the vehicle causing it to veer off the road, plunging into the nearby river. The driver allegedly slept.
Nearby villagers had assisted in rescuing the victims and rushed them to the Korovou Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Sukanatabu survived. He was represented by Legal Aid Commission counsel.
In court yesterday, Police prosecution served the accused with the first phase of disclosures which was also confirmed by the commission lawyer.
The prosecution did not object to bail, however, sought a stop departure order, strict bail conditions, reporting the condition and sought an order for the accused to surrender his passport to the court.
Magistrate Chaminda issued a stop departure order on Sukanatabu and ordered him to surrender his passport to the court registry.
Bail was granted with the assurance of two sureties to the sum of $500 each and ordered the accused to report to the Nausori Police Station.
A plea will be taken on December 17.
Edited by Percy Kean
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