COVID-19: Man remanded for allegedly spreading fake news

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Bani Kanawale (blue shirt) with his counsels Jagath Karunaratne and Asilika Rogers outside the Suva Magistrates Court today, March 24, 2020. Picture : LITIA CAVA

A MAN who allegedly spread fake news on Facebook about COVID-19 has been further remanded in custody.

Bani Kanawale appeared today before Magistrate Liyanage Wickramasekara   at the Suva Magistrates Court.

He is charged with one count of Malicious Act Contrary to Section 15 (a) of the Public Order Act 1969.

It is alleged that between March 20 and March 21 ,  Mr Kanawale used his Facebook account to publish false news about positive cases of Coronavirus at the CWM Hospital in Suva.

Magistrate Wickramasekara objected bail on the grounds that the charge was serious in nature considering that the false information was spread during a time of crisis in Fiji and around the world.

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