Closing subs on Shortland murder case defers
THE closing submissions on the case of a young man accused of the murder of a man at Shortland Islands, Western Province in 2015 has been deferred generally.
Last week, it was adjourned to yesterday before Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer.
However, that did not happen and the matter was administratively deferred generally.
A date for the closing submissions will be made known to counsels later.
Martin Rapena is facing one count of murder.
His trial started on Tuesday last week and ended on Friday.
Prosecution called three witnesses at the trial while Rapena gave unsworn evidence.
This is the second trial conducted on this matter after the first trial before Justice Mwanesalua in 2017 was not completed due to his ill health.
Justice Mwanesalua retired last year without completing the trial, which resulted in a re-trial before Sir Albert.
Rapena is charged in relation to an allegation in January 2015 at Komaliae Village in the Shortland Islands.
At that time, he was only 18 years old.
Prosecution alleged he stabbed a young man on New Year’s Day in 2015.
The deceased was injured and was transported to Taro Hospital where he was admitted until the following day where he was further transferred to the Gizo Hospital
He was later flown to the National Referral Hospital but sadly died on 9 January 2015.
Police charged Rapena with one count of unlawful wounding but then withdrew it and laid the murder charge after the deceased died at the hospital.
Michael Holara of Public Solicitor’s Office is representing Rapena while John Wesley Zoze appears for the Crown.
No committal hearing, case moves to today
A LONG form preliminary inquiry (committal hearing) on the case of a Bangladesh national facing a sexual abuse related offence did not proceed yesterday.
The hearing that was scheduled for yesterday was moved to today because the presiding magistrate Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea was unavailable.
He went on a compassionate leave last week.
Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison who mentioned the matter today adjourned the matter to go before Mr Iomea today.
The accused is facing one count of persistent sexual abuse of a child.
This is in relation to allegations he repeatedly sexually abused an 11 year-old alleged victim over a period of time in April this year at Lungga area.
The mother of the alleged victim reported the matter to the police after she heard stories from other girls of the alleged sexual abuses on her daughter.
The alleged victim then confirmed to the mother that the accused had been doing sexual action with her but she was afraid to tell anyone about it.
Two applications made on the accused’s behalf to vary his bail conditions to enable him to travel to his home country had been refused by the Magistrate’s Court.
Private lawyer Hubert Fugui represents the accused while appearing for the Crown is Myrella Cleven.
Trial starts today on first curfew case
TRIAL will today start on the case of a young female and young men accused of breaching the first curfew enforced last April in Honiara.
Gila Kiko and Anita John are facing charges of restriction of movement under the State of Public Emergency (SOPE) regulation.
The hearing of evidences will be conducted before Chief Magistrate Emma Garo this morning.
The two accused were caught by police few minutes after the curfew time, between 8.15pm and 8.30pm walking along the road between the King Solomon and Central Police Station area on 10 April 2020.
They were part of the 63 people arrested on the two nights of curfew – April 10 and April 11 last year.
The government had issued the curfew to test its response capacity and help identify challenges faced during an actual lock down in terms of COVID-19.
The curfew was enforced within the declared emergency zone from Poha River, West of Honiara to Alligator Creek in the east.
Public Solicitor’s Office is representing the two accused while the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is prosecuting.
