Two men have been remanded in custody for their alleged involvement in the fire incident that gutted a home in Narere causing the death of five people.
31-year-old Bimlesh Prasad and 23-year-old Mathew Gunua appeared before Magistrate Sophia Hamza at the Nasinu Magistrate Court this morning.
They are each charged with one count of arson, five counts of murder, one count of act with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of damaging property.
Gunua waived his right to a legal counsel, while Prasad was represented by a legal counsel.
Prasad applied for bail however, the Police prosecutor Inspector Feroz Khan objected stating counts 1-7 are indictable offences and should be tried in the High Court.
He says the case is of public and national interest and is serious in nature given that five lives were lost in the fire.
Khan also told the court, tension is high in the community and the lives of the accused are under threat.
He also asked the court for the case to be transferred to the High Court.
In her ruling, Magistrate Hamza rejected the bail application and has transferred the case to the Suva High Court for 4th of November.
