Praneeta Prakash 
[Photo: FILE]
The Suva High Court has dismissed Imran Khan’s bail application pending his appeal against his conviction and sentence for unlawful possession of illicit drugs.
Khan was convicted by the Suva Magistrates’ Court on June 17 for possessing 4.1364 grams of methamphetamine in Suva on February 7, 2023.
On June 30, he was sentenced to four years and three months’ imprisonment, with a three-year non-parole period, and later appealed both his conviction and sentence on 30 grounds.
Justice Pita Bulamainivalu found that the Magistrate properly considered the evidence and relevant legal principles, and that the sentence aligned with the tariff for methamphetamine offences.
Khan submitted that his imprisonment caused financial hardship for his family as the sole breadwinner, but the Court ruled this did not amount to exceptional circumstances warranting bail.
The Court also weighed the appeal’s prospects of success, likely delays, and the portion of the sentence Khan would have served by then.
Justice Bulamainivalu ruled that Khan failed to establish sufficient grounds for release and dismissed the application.
The substantive appeal remains pending, with the matter adjourned to December 10, 2026, to check the Magistrates’ Court records and set a hearing date.
