AS he lay on the ground breathing his last breath, Simon Fuo’o cried “Iufala killim me nao”, the High Court heard on Tuesday.
Crown prosecutor Miriam Manata relived Mr Fuo’o’s final moment of agony as she opened the trial into the young diplomat’s killing in the early hours of 21 April 2012.
Cecil Manu, Simon Peter Delemani, and Peter Diau, all of Malaita, are charged with his murder. The fourth accused, John Tii, has already pleaded guilty to murder.
Mr Fuo’o, a young and promising diplomat serving with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs then, was murdered in cold blood on the road at the Central Market in Honiara, when he and his friends were returning home from a night out.
Mrs Manata told Justice Francis Mwanesalua Mr Fuo’o’s killers used knives and hooks to kill him.
“They inflicted multiple wounds on his head, mouth, and back. Mr Fuo’o died as a result of bleeding from the multiple wounds,” Mrs Manata said.
“This case is about an incident that we say became a turning point for many who commit anti-social behaviour in the city around the year 2012,” the prosecutor said.
“It is a case that not only involves a civil servant meeting his death at such a young age, or at the prime of his life, but also about the state of lawlessness prevailing at particular spots within Honiara at the time of the alleged incident.”
Mrs Manata said the crown will allege all the accused caused Mr Fuo’o’s death by unlawful acts, which consisted of stabbing him with knives and hooks and or aiding and abetting each other in the commission of the unlawful acts.
She told the court that in the early hours of 21 April 2012, the deceased and some of his friends left the Car-Wash pub where they went to drink.
Mrs Manata said they travelled in two cars – a hilux with a G registration number and a white car belonging to and driven by Mr Fuo’o.
“On their way, the driver of the hilux stopped at the Honiara Central Market and the deceased stopped his car behind the hilux at the Naha/Kola bus-stop, a few metres away from the hilux.
“The driver of the hilux, Medley Kwale and Mr Fuo’o alighted from their respective cars and the deceased walked over to the hilux where he spoke to Medley,” Mrs Manata told the court.
She said after they chatted, Mr Fuo’o went back to his car.
“As he went towards his car, a group of boys approached him and another group approached the driver of the hilux.
“The accused Delemani approached the deceased and for one reason stabbed the deceased with a knife, while the accused Tii and Manu also stabbed the deceased with knives and an object that looked like a hook.
“The accused Diau aided them by either grabbing the deceased and kicking and holding on to him,” Mrs Manata told the court.
Mrs Manata yesterday called the first prosecution witness, Billy Kwalasi, who was a security guard at the Central Market and himself a victim of stabbing during the killing incident.
The court heard one of the accused, Delemani, also stabbed Mr Kwalasi with a knife at the market.
The trial resumes this morning during which Mr Kwalasi will be cross-examined by defence lawyers.
Sarah Karani, Nigel Galo, George Gray, and Gina Nott of the Public Solicitor’s Office are representing the accused.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
