Trio accused of lying on Queensland border passes face court

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Trio accused of lying on Queensland border passes face court

Three women accused of providing false information on their Queensland border declaration passes have appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court for the first time.

Diana Lasu, Olivia Winnie Muranga and Haja Timbo were charged in July with fraud and providing a false or misleading document after they visited Melbourne.

Diana Lasu was one of the women who tested positive for COVID-19 upon their return. (Nine)

The trio appeared briefly in the Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning.

Ms Muranga and Ms Lasu’s matters were adjourned until October 28, while Ms Timbo’s matter was adjourned until October 21.

The women remain on bail and are not required to attend court next month.

Ms Timbo did not test positive to COVID-19.

Olivia Winnie Muranga (right) also tested positive to COVID-19. (Nine)

It will be alleged the three women flew from Melbourne to Sydney before arriving in Queensland and, upon their arrival on July 21, did not declare to police that they had been in Victoria.

While in Melbourne, the women were fined by authorities for breaking COVID-19 rules by organising a party of more than 30 people at their accommodation.

It is understood that upon their return to Queensland, Ms Muranga and Ms Lasu moved freely among the Brisbane and Logan communities for eight days while infectious before they were detected by authorities and placed under police guard in hospital.

In late August, Health Minister Steven Miles said genomic testing of the virus had shown the strain that one of the women had was the same strain linked to the Wacol youth detention centre.

“Early results indicate the first case had the same strain of COVID-19 as one of the women who travelled to Melbourne as well as the diners who contracted it from them,” Mr Miles said on August 25.

Health authorities have since confirmed they believe the clusters originated from the Logan women with a mystery case spreading it to the detention centre outbreak.

Queensland shut its borders to all people from Victoria on July 10 after the southern state’s cases escalated.

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Source: 9News | News Colony

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