OPPOSITION Whip Lynda Tabuya has been ordered to temporarily deactivate all her social media accounts by Friday.
Chief magistrate Usaia Ratuvili set the temporary deactivation as one of the conditions of bail when the SODELPA member of Parliament appeared before the Suva Magistrates Court yesterday, charged with a count of malicious act breaching the Public Order Act.
Ms Tabuya has also been told to live at her home and not to change this without the approval of the court.
A stop departure order was also issued and she was ordered to surrender all travelling documents.
Ms Tabuya has to report to her nearest police station fortnightly.
Police prosecution had objected to bail on the grounds the matter was of national interest, and that Ms Tabuya had not handed over her phone and refused to co-operate in the investigations.
The court was told the social media post was still active and people were still commenting on it.
The prosecution said 19 statements were taken in the course of investigations. Defence lawyer Filimoni Vosarogo told court he had only received the first phase disclosures and it did not include any other statements.
He said his client had been kept in custody for more than 48 hours after she was charged last Friday night and should have been produced last Saturday at the Suva Magistrates Court.
Mr Vosarogo said the charge was a summary offence and the police had the power to bail her out but this was not followed in this case.
In response, the prosecution said an application to the chief magistrate to have the case called last Saturday was denied.
Ms Tabuya has pleaded not guilty to the charge. The case has been adjourned to April 6.
