Businessman Jagath Karunaratne with Opposition MP Mosese Bulitavu

The case of Opposition MP Mosese Bulitavu and businessman Jagath Karunaratne has been dismissed by the Suva Magistrates Court today.

The Director of Public Prosecution filed a nolle prosequi and the case was withdrawn.

Following a review of the matter, DPP decided the evidence no longer met the evidential
threshold required to take the matter to court for a retrial.

The two were initially each charged with one count of sedition and after the trial in 2018, were found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment.

They appealed their sentence and conviction and the appeal was upheld last year by the Suva High Court and a retrial was ordered.

It was alleged that the two spray-painted words in different places between Nausori and Suva with the seditious intention of bringing into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the Government.

The alleged incidents occurred in August 2011.

Nolle Prosequi after almost 8 years in court!
Thank you @odppfiji for the Nolle…. it came at a high price and imprisonment! Too tired to celebrate! #FijiCriminalJusticeSystem #FijiCourts pic.twitter.com/bzlNvgM9J4

— Barbara Malimali (@BMalimali) April 2, 2019