The Magistrate’s Court has reprimanded some media organisations for incorrect reporting in the case against terminated school teacher Kishore Kumar.
In Court, Kumar, who is representing himself, said the media has allegedly put the lives of his relatives and friends in danger, due to the increased number of threats received on social media, based on these incorrect reporting by some.
Also, in Court today, Kumar said he had suffered a mental relapse after he was referred to as a dog by the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lenora Qereqeretabua, when giving her testimony last week.
He asked the Court that he be allowed to cross-examine Qereqeretabua for a second time, due to the fact that he was not in his right state of mind at that time.
He told the Court that he has undergone counselling over the weekend and that the opportunity be given again to re-cross the Assistant Minister.
However, Magistrate Puamau ruled against his motion.
Magistrate Puamau also addressed the issue of correctly reporting on the facts highlighted in Court by her, the lawyers of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution and that of the accused Kishore Kumar.
Puamau said that in an incident that was reported on by one of the dailies; she had suggested that the accused seek psychiatric evaluation due to the narcissistic behaviour he portrayed; however, the report indicated that she had ruled that Kumar undergo psychiatric evaluation, which was not the case.
The accused has told the Court that he intends to make an oral submission to put a gag order on the media from reporting issues pertaining to his family members and to report only on him.
He said this is because some of his family members were threatened and ridiculed on social media.
The trial continues this afternoon.
