Rajiv Padyachi, a military officer by profession, is charged with one count of attempted murder.

A man, who allegedly attempted to murder his partner by drowning her last year has pleaded not guilty in the Suva High Court.

Twenty-eight-year-old Rajiv Padyachi, a military officer by profession is charged with one count of attempted murder.

It’s alleged that on 15th September last year he pushed his partner into the water and tried to drown her at the Colo-i-Suva Forest Park in Suva.

State prosecutors will be calling in seven witnesses and the complainant will also give evidence.

Prosecutions in the opening address said the accused and the victim were in a relationship and the complainant had allegedly loaned substantial amounts of money to Padhyachi.

She further told assessors that the accused allegedly failed to pay the loan and laid out a plan to get himself out of debt under the guise of a swim at Colo-i-Suva.

She said the complainant went with the accused where he allegedly tried to drown her.

The trial continues with the first witness taking the stand.