FOUR men who were earlier arrested, charged and later released on bail on Wednesday have been re-arrested by police.
This was after the man whom they allegedly assaulted on August 5, at Vara Creek, Honiara died at the National Referral Hospital.
Floyd Junior Haomaerihu, Nickson Gwalu, Harry Gilo and Matthew Rocky Muala were brought to the Honiara Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday late afternoon.
They were facing the charge of grievous harm following an incident where they allegedly assaulted an elderly man at the 02-bus stop at Vara Creek on August 5.
Prosecution made an application to remand them in custody.
One of their main grounds is interfering with police witnesses, as all defendants reside around the crime scene where all police witnesses are residing, the key witnesses are close friends of the defendants.
The presiding magistrate however was of the view that if strict bail conditions are imposed, the accused will not interfere with police witnesses.
The four accused were therefore released on cash bail of $500 each and a principal bail of $1,000 each, attached with strict bail conditions.
The alleged victim was still in a coma condition at the NRH on Wednesday evening.
It was later on Wednesday night that the alleged victim unfortunately died.
On Thursday, police went and re-arrested the four accused and are likely to charge them with murder.
On Friday, 5th of August this year at around 11 pm, the victim whom is an elderly man and his wife parked their car on the road side at 02 Bus Stop at Vara Creek.
They were having a few beers inside their parked car.
A few minutes later, it was alleged that Gwalu and Gilo approached the couple and asked them for matches to light their smoke.
The couple, however, told the boys they do not have matches.
The two defendants insisted and started talking aggressively towards the couple.
According to the allegation, the couple was nervous and went out of their car and told the boys to leave them but the two defendants would not leave.
The two defendants instead started accusing the husband about where he resided. They told him that they did not know him and that they would kill him.
Shortly after that, the two defendants started attacking the husband by punching and kicking him.
Muala joined in the attack and forced the alleged victim backwards until they reached a market stall in front of a residence opposite from where the victim and his wife were parked.
There, another defendant Haomaerihu appeared and also joined the three defendants in attacking the alleged victim.
The victim was unconscious during the attack, fell backward and landed on the tarred road.
Whilst he was lying unconscious, the defendants continued on attacking him until the wife ran in and stopped them.
The defendants then quickly ran off leaving the scene.
With the help of by standers, the wife poured fresh water on parts of the victim’s body and he finally he was able to breath.
However, the alleged victim was unable to respond to his wife and was bleeding on his left ear and nose.
The alleged victim was assisted by the Correctional warders to the NRH and attended by nurses and doctors.
He was in a coma condition until Wednesday when he died.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
