The Suva High Court has acquitted Colombian National Aidan Alec Hurtado who was charged with unlawful importation of illicit drugs.
23-year-old Hurtado who was alleged to have imported 20.5kg of cocaine is now a free man.
He spent 1 year 10 months in remand.
Judge Justice Salesi Temo says his analysis of the case based on the evidence and on his assessment of the credibility of the witnesses he does not agree with the first 3 assessors’ guilty verdict and agrees with the 4th assessors not guilty opinion.
Judge Temo says Hurtado arrived in Fiji on the 7th February last year, but his bag arrived two days later.
The Court heard that the accused only spoke and read Spanish and there were no interpreters during his caution interview.
Judge Temo has also ordered that the 20.5kg of cocaine is to be surrendered and destroyed as directed by the Chief Registrar.
