Safil Ali who is charged with one count of murder, one count of arson and two counts of criminal intimidation made his first appearance in the High Court this morning.

A man who is alleged to have murdered Suman Lata in Tomuka, Lautoka last month, has been told by the High Court to get a lawyer.

Safil Ali who is charged with one count of murder, one count of arson and two counts of criminal intimidation made his first appearance in the High Court this morning.

Ali told the judge that he wanted to represent himself however, due to the seriousness of the offence, the 40-year-old has been ordered otherwise.

A Legal Aid lawyer also told the court that they are only representing him for the breach of a domestic violence restraining order because when the accused first appeared at the Magistrates Court, he had a private lawyer.

The DPP stated that the accused is charged with murder, arson and criminal intimidation.

The judge then reminded the taxi driver that he needed to get himself a lawyer.

Ali is alleged to have attacked Lata with a cane knife, locked her inside her bedroom and set the flat on fire.

Lata perished in the fire.

He has been further remanded and the case will be called on September 2nd.