The court has ordered the case of an expatriate man accused of raping his step-daughter to be adjourned generally.
The matter has been mentioned since last year at the Honiara Magistrates Court awaiting the High Court to hear an application for a permanent stay on this rape case.
So far, a date has been fixed end of last year to hear the stay application.
That was not done and the matter was then further adjourned for the setting of a new hearing date.
As far as Monday’s mention went, no date for hearing of the application in the High Court was confirmed to the counsels yet.
Principal Magistrate Augustine Aulanga suggested to prosecution that they write to the High Court asking them to hear the matter as an urgent matter otherwise the matter will continue to be prolonged.
He adjourned the matter generally stating that it would be better this way rather than to keep adjourning the case after every 28 days.
He then made orders that as soon as counsels received the ruling in the High Court regarding that stay application, they should check with the registry office at the Magistrates Court to set a date for mention.
The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of his step-daughter has applied to the High Court for stay the matter.
He faces five counts of rape which he allegedly committed in March and June last year.
His wife is also an expatriate working for a regional institute in the country to which the accused claims he is entitled to the diplomatic immunities and privileged that is extended to family members of those working at that institution.
Suri’s Law Practice represents the accused while Public Prosecutor Ishmael Kekou appeared yesterday for the State.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
