New twist in John and Yvette Nikolic’s drug case

A “distraught” John Nikolic allegedly told a Fiji customs officer before he collapsed from a suspected drug overdose that he owed “some dangerous people a lot of money”.

A “distraught” John Nikolic allegedly told a Fiji customs officer before he collapsed from a suspected drug overdose that he owed “some dangerous people a lot of money that he couldn’t possibly pay back and this was his only way out”.

The former horse trainer also allegedly told customs officers he wanted to be the one to tell his wife Yvette “what happened … what had transpired, of what he’d done”, after he was informed that “something” had been found on the yacht and the search of Shenanigans would continue, the Suva High court heard yesterday.

The court has been told a blue, zip-up bag containing 10, plastic-wrapped and duct-taped cocaine bars had been discovered by members of the search team “well-hidden” in the catamaran’s lazarette storage locker, under a hatch in the deck of the boat.

“Mr Nikolic was obviously emotional and said he was very disappointed,” senior customs officer Fenton Williams, who led the June 22 search at Denarau Marina, said.

Mr Nikolic then allegedly told Fiji authorities he’d save them the trouble of searching further and volunteered the location of more cocaine bars in the lazarette locker, saying “there’s three more on the other side”, Mr Fenton told the court.

Both Yvette and John Nikolic have pleaded not guilty to drug importation, drug possession and weapons charges.

MORE: Details of overdose attempt revealed in Nikolic’ drug trial

MORE: Nikolics’ alleged drug stash revealed in court

John Nikolic carrying a brown box at the Suva High Court. Picture: Varanisese Bolatagane

Mr Williams said Mr Nikolic asked to go to the toilet and he escorted him to one of the yacht’s bathrooms.

“He was in there for a while (and) I asked if he was all right and he said he was and he’d be out in a moment,” Mr Williams told the court.

When Mr Nikolic came out of the toilet he was “distraught”, Mr Williams said.

He then allegedly told Mr Williams he owed a lot of money to dangerous people.

“(John Nikolic said) he owes some dangerous people a lot of money that he couldn’t possibly pay back and this was his only way out,” Mr Fenton said.

Mr Nikolic then allegedly thanked Mr Fenton for his professionalism and kindness and complimented the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, saying the search team had been “absolute gentlemen”.

He had asked another customs officer for a pen and paper to make a statement and was escorted to Yvette so he could speak privately with her, while the officer went to get the pen and paper for the statement, Mr Williams said.

A short time later Yvette Nikolic came to Mr Williams and tapped on his shoulder to tell him her husband had collapsed.

Yvette Nikolic exiting the courthouse before the hearing resumed at the Suva High Court. Picture: Varanisese Bolatagane

When Mr Williams went to Mr Nikolic to administer medical aid he found him making choking sounds and with his eyes wide open but unresponsive.

People with medical training from nearby super yachts were called to provide assistance before official medical aid arrived, the court was told.

Mr Fenton said he had placed Mr Nikolic in the recovery position and placed a pillow under his head and shaded his face from the sun.

Under cross examination from defence lawyer Ronald Gordon for Yvette Nikolic, Mr Fenton said he believed the toilet Mr Nikolic had been escorted to belonged to crew member Jeffrey Hassell, who the court has previously heard gave his address as Honolulu, Hawaii.

Mr. Fenton Williams (second from left) with the officers from the Fiji Revenue and Custom Service also with the prosecution lawyers after their day four of hearing for the Nikolic’s drug trial outside the Suva High Court. Picture: Varanisese Bolatagane

On the fourth day of the trial in Fiji’s capital the High Court also heard there were roped “gallons” (gallon drums) on top of the — unlocked — lazarette locker where the 13 cocaine bars were found and that US $15,000 in $100 dollar bills in “a “lunch box type container”, two guns and a bag of drug tablets had been found behind a panel in the saloon wall.

The panel had to be unscrewed.

The court also heard Yvette Nikolic had earlier provided the search team with a screw driver to search the ceiling of Shenanigans.

Prosecution witness and high ranking customs officer Sakiusa Lasaga told the court Mr Hassell had, on request from the FRCS search team, pointed out the yacht’s safe, which was an open and empty box in the saloon area, concealed behind a cushion.

Lead prosecutor Lee Burney said earlier in the week Mr Nikolic’s suicide attempt was the act of a guilty man but also of a loving husband who wanted to protect his wife.

“It is the prosecution case that it was Mr Nikolic’s parting gift to his wife to attempt to provide her with the life raft of a false defence,” Mr Burney said on Monday.

The trial before Judge Daniel Goundar continues.

Originally published as New twist in John and Yvette Nikolic’s drug case