LAWYER of one of the men accused of robbing the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) at the Kwaimani Building last year has been ordered to explain his absence from court on August 20.
The matter against the three accused, Severio Sulimae, Dilo Faiga and Security Officer Joe Silas has been adjourned for a few times now for the purpose of a pre-trial conference.
The pre-trial conference documents were already signed by lawyers representing Faiga and Silas but was not yet signed by Sulimae’s lawyer.
Sulimae was previously represented by Public Solicitor’s lawyer George Gray.
Gray’s colleague Chris Rarumae was now representing Sulimae.
He did not turn up in court on Thursday.
Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi said this matter had been adjourned a number of times now for the same reason.
She however, granted an adjournment and ordered that the pre-trial conference documents be filed by August 26.
She further ordered that Mr Rarumae give his reasons why he did not appear in court and why he did not file and sign the pre-trial conference documents.
The three accused are facing one count each of robbery in relation to the allegation on the night of July 25, 2014 at the Kwaimani building at Kukum, east Honiara.
The prosecution alleged the men arrived in a car driven by Sulimae that had a fake plate number and used a crow bar to uproot the ANZ machine.
It was also alleged that one of the men, who was still at large, was armed with a rifle.
After allegedly uprooting the ATM Machine, they lifted it onto the waiting car and took off with one of the security officers and went to Henderson, where they broke open the machine that contained more than $400,000.
Police further alleged that only more than $200,000 from the top tray was stolen as they could not open the bottom tray.
The stolen ATM machine weighs more than 200 kilograms.
Wayne Ghemu and Lazarus Kwaiga represent Faiga and Silas while Public Prosecutor Nelson Dhita appeared for the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
