THE girlfriend of the young man whose dead body was found floating in the Lungga Creek early this year yesterday gave evidence leading up to his death.
This was during the long form preliminary inquiry conducted into the case before Principal Magistrate Edwin Saramo.
The committal hearing was for the court to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to commit the two accused Mark Nalua and Banabus Mwema to the High Court for trial.
Alice Ina told the court of the alleged incident that occurred on the late evening of 21 March 2015 at Lungga.
She told the court that after drinking four cans of beer with the deceased and her aunt at Henderson, they went down to the sisi dance at the Lungga seaside area.
Whilst there, she told the court that she and the deceased met with the two accused at different times on that night and talked with them.
At one point, she said she had an argument with Nalua.
Not long after, Alice said she and the deceased left the sisi dance and went away from the dance area near a creek not far from the dance venue.
She told the court that she saw Mwema standing next to the coconut tree close to the sisi dance but he did not talk to her.
The court heard that whilst the deceased and her girlfriend were there near the creek, a man came and talked to them and attacked the deceased.
When asked if she saw the assailant, Alice said she only saw someone wearing a white shirt but she did not recognise that person.
Alice then told the court that earlier on at the sisi dance she saw Nalua wearing a white shirt.
“When the man talked to us, I could not recognise his voice but could only tell from his accent that he is from the bush of Temotu Province.
“After the man talked, he also whipped my head.
“I could not see what he whipped my head with.”
Alice testified that after the deceased was attacked, he fell down to the ground.
“After he whipped my head, I shouted to my aunt and ran.”
The court was told Alice ran over to her aunt and a man from Malaita and told them they were being attacked.
Alice told them to go over to see the deceased but the Malaita man however ran away, followed by her aunt.
She panicked and had to run after them through the bushes until they came to the main road at Henderson.
At 10am the next day, the body of the deceased was found floating in the creek near the sisi dance.
The duo were later arrested for the murder of the deceased.
The committal hearing continues today.
Public Solicitor’s lawyer Sarah Karani and Stanley Aupai represent the accused while Public Prosecutor Nelson Dhita appeared for the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
