SUVA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- A New Zealand resident on Monday appeared in Fiji's Magistrate's Court in Nadi for allegedly killing five members of a Fijian family.
According to Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC), the 62-year-old suspect is a holder of a permanent residency in New Zealand. He was charged with five counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, and has been denied bail.
It was alleged that on Aug. 25 and 26 this year, he murdered a carpenter, his 54-year-old wife, their 34-year-old daughter and her two daughters aged, 11 and 8.
Fijian police found five dead bodies, including three adults and two children, in the Nausori Highlands in Nadi last month.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Pramesh Chand who objected the bail on Monday said that the suspect was a flight risk.
He said the case is of public interest and severe penalty will be incurred if the suspect is found guilty and the likelihood of the accused interfering with the witnesses was high.
The suspect's lawyer said that the only way to remedy these points raised was to have his client under strict bail conditions.
The accused has surrendered his travel documents and a stop departure notice has been put on him.
The case will be called again next Wednesday.
