Details of a man charged with indecent assault has been suppressed by the Cook Islands High Court.

The accused appeared yesterday before Justice of the Peace John Whitta, who declared a conflict of interest in the case and could not preside over the bail application.

Whitta advised defence lawyer Henry Herman that the bail application would need to be presided by another JP.

However, Herman presented his proposed bail conditions and requested that they be noted for the record. He also asked if the prosecution agreed to these conditions.

The defence lawyer told the court the bail conditions requested were a curfew between 7pm to 7am but asked permission for the defendant’s work purposes to allow him to go to work from 4.30am.

Herman also mentioned that the defendant would surrender his passport and not leave Rarotonga without the approval of the High Court.

JP Whitta adjourned the matter to January 30 for defence to make bail application. He also advised that this was optional and the defence could ask for the bail application to be brought forward.

Prosecution agreed and advised that disclosures would be available in two weeks.

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Melvin Eli appeared before Justice of the Peace John Whitta in the High Court yesterday on a new charge of theft

Represented by defence lawyer Michelle Tangimama, Eli’s case was transferred to the Chief Justice Court Sitting on January 31, to be heard with his alleged Tuki’s break-in case.

He is alleged to have broken into Tuki’s Pareu store in August of last year, where a “sizeable amount of cash” was allegedly stolen. This is a joint offence charge with Rangi Uai Tuaru.

Eli is also charged for carrying an offensive weapon in a public place and three counts of contempt of court.

Defence lawyer Tangimama requested for police disclosures and advised that the accused was on curfew from 7pm to 7am.

Police prosecutor Fairoa Tararo said disclosures would be forthcoming soon.