THE 50 year-old man accused of leading a group of people to march to the Parliament house on November 24 will know his fate on December 30.
That is when Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison will deliver his judgment.
The two days trial on this matter ended yesterday after the accused gave his evidence in court.
The accused who stood trial for one count of behaving in a riotous manner has denied leading a group of people or instigating them to march to the Parliament house on November 24.
He, however, told the court that he was waiting for public bus at the Honiara City Council (HCC) on that day.
He said at round 8am, he came down from his home at Kaibia with a bag of clothes for his wife to sell at the Honiara Central Market.
The 50 year-old testified that dropped off at the HCC area and saw crowd of people there.
He went to market, dropped off the bag of clothes with his wife there and then return to HCC area to board a public bus back home.
He testified that when he arrived at the bush stop, there were about 10 people standing there, some were his relatives.
In his evidence, he denied shouting or did anything to lead a group of people to the Parliament house.
He said he was simply waiting for a bus to return home.
He added that while waiting for the bus, a police officer who came in a police vehicle that was parked at the back gate of the Magistrate’s Court house talked to them.
The court heard the police officer told the accused and others standing at the bus stop not to join in any illegal protest, otherwise he will arrest them.
“After the police return to his vehicle, a boarded a bus and went home.”
Prosecution on the other hand had called two police officers and also tendered some witness statements by consent.
The Crown is alleged that the accused assembled with other people at the Honiara City Council (HCC) area on the morning of the alleged offending.
They also alleged the accused led a group of people instigating them to march to the Parliament house.
The accused was later arrested on November 29.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Newsroom, Honiara
