Magistrates’ Court refuses bail for alleged airport heist mastermind
January 29, 2026 10:45 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Terence Malapa.
The Magistrates’ Court has refused to grant bail to Gregory Rouard, the principal suspect in the armed robbery at Port Vila International Airport in which about VT49 million was stolen.
Senior Magistrate Kibeon Nimbwen delivered a verbal ruling in open court yesterday after considering submissions from both the prosecution and the defence, finding that the accused should remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
In refusing bail, the magistrate accepted the prosecution’s arguments that there is a real risk of witness interference and concerns relating to public safety.
The court also took into account the seriousness of the alleged offence and the stage of the investigation, which is still ongoing. Mr. Rouard is accused of orchestrating the armed robbery at the airport on 29 December 2025.
He has denied the allegations. During the bail hearing last week, defence counsel John Malcolm of Geoffrey & Partners argued that the prosecution had failed to present direct evidence linking his client as the mastermind behind the heist.
Counsel also raised concerns over the length of police detention and reiterated that Mr. Rouard is entitled to the presumption of innocence. Despite the defence proposing strict bail conditions—including surrender of travel documents, reporting requirements, curfew restrictions, and non-contact with witnesses—the court ruled that such conditions were insufficient to mitigate the risks raised by the prosecution.
State Prosecutor Tristan Karae opposed bail, submitting that several witnesses, including co-accused persons, are prepared to testify against Mr. Rouard and reside within the community. He argued that releasing the accused could jeopardise witness safety and the integrity of the case.
The prosecution also highlighted the accused’s alleged training background and previous movements following the incident as indicators of flight risk.
Earlier this week, the prosecution also requested additional time for police to complete their investigation during the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) hearing for all the suspects.
The court granted the request and adjourned the PI to 11 February. There are six accused persons before the court in relation to the airport heist.
Six remain in remand custody, while two are currently on bail under strict conditions. Following the ruling, defence counsel intents to pursue a bail application before the Supreme Court.
