FIVE of the six people charged with receiving new $100 bills stolen from a bank in Suva spent New Year's Day behind bars.
Eferemo Caketi, Michael Christopher, Sunia Qerua, Vikash Prasad and Vasemaca Senilagakali appeared before Magistrate Yohan Liyanage on charges of receiving stolen property and giving false information.
Mr Caketi was refused bail on the grounds the DPP had received conflicting statements from him.
He requested bail, saying he wanted to buy school stationery for his sons.
The three security officers — Mr Christopher, Mr Qerua and Mr Prasad also requested bail, telling the court they had to repay bank loans, pay house rent and were sole breadwinners in their families.
DPP lawyer Nancy Tikoisuva objected to bail, saying although a large amount of money had been recovered the matter was still being investigated.
Senilagakali who faces one count of giving false information asked the court for bail, saying she had to look after her three children aged 20, 18 and 12.
She told the court her adult children were still dependent on her and that she was living in a de-facto relationship.
The court denied them bail and told them to file written bail applications while in the custody of the prisons department.
The matter was adjourned to January 4.