THREE men accused of damaging properties worth more than $500,000 at Tamone Settlement, east of Honiara will return to court again on June 1.
That’s when they will enter their pleas to the new charges levelled against them.
One of the accused is yet to be allocated a lawyer while another two have already secured lawyers from the Public Solicitor’s Office.
Fred Sikini on Wednesday told the court that he went several times to the Public Solicitor’s Office but is yet to be allocated a lawyer.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Shepherd Lapo encouraged Sikini to continue to go to the PSO so that he can get assistance to enable the progress of their case.
Sikini, 50, Anthony Justin, 33, and Chris Suimae have already pleaded not guilty to the charges of two counts of malicious damage, one count of criminal trespass and another of larceny on a previous appearance.
Prosecution has then merged the two malicious damage charges and they are therefore facing only one count which they are yet to plea to.
A new charge of threatening & violence was also laid against the trio.
Justin is also facing a charge of arson in relation to the alleged burning down of a kitchen building.
They were accused of damaging a permanent building and valuable properties worth more than $550,000 due to an on-going issue between the two parties.
The alleged incident occurred on 8 April 2014 and has allegedly forced the complainant and his family out from their home and is now living with relatives.
It was alleged that following the incident, attempts were made to reconcile so that the Complainant’s family could return to Tamone, but that was not successful until last year when the complainant decided to report the matter to police.
Public Solicitor’s lawyers Jenny Namo and Tearo Benetiti represents Justin and Suimae.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
