The man accused of being involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident last Saturday has appeared in court today.

Eroni Nacanieli Calevu is charged with one count of dangerous driving occasioning death and one count of failure to comply, appeared at the Magistrates Court in Lautoka today.

His lawyer Mosese Naivalu says his client did not flee the scene but panicked and hid inside a church.

It is alleged that Calevu lost control of the vehicle he was driving which caused it to veer of the road and hit a seven-year-old girl who was walking along the road.

She was later taken to the Lautoka Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

Police Corporal, Mereisa Seavula objected strongly to bail stating the rights of an accused person.

Naivalu argued in court that his primary considerations of bail has nothing to do with the victim’s age.

Naivalu also told the court that as of 10am today, Calevu’s family had visited the victim’s family and had done a traditional apology consisting of $3000 and a Tabua.

His lawyer stated that the accused’s family also offered to pay for the funeral.

The bail ruling will be heard tomorrow.