THE case of the bus driver accused of abducting a Chinese national and then assaulted him in 2013 will be brought back to the Honiara Magistrates Court on October 26.
Eddie Funubana appeared on Tuesday but told the court his lawyer is still awaiting confirmation from the High Court in relation to is Practitioner’s License.
He said his lawyer assured him that he will receive his license before that next court date.
Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi therefore adjourned the matter and further remanded Funubana in custody.
Funubana is yet to enter his pleas to the charges of abducting in order to subject person to grievous harm, grievous harm, demanding with menace property capable of being stolen, larceny from person, driver to be licenced and vehicle to be licenced.
He is co-accused with three others, David Rongota, 22, Philip Finiga, 20, and Joshua Rautofea, 23, whom are all under warrant of arrests since last year.
Funubana was also under a warrant of arrest but police arrested him and have him remanded in custody.
The alleged incident occurred in June 2013, where Funubana and his co-accused allegedly abducted a Chinese national and demanded him to pay $100,000 before they would set him free.
The alleged victim got in the bus at the Ranadi round- about in east Honiara intending to return home to China Town.
It was alleged that the bus driver then ordered the only two female passengers off the bus and then changed direction heading up to East Guadalcanal.
At Guadalcanal Plains Palm Oil Limited (GPPOL) in East Honiara the accused allegedly held the man at a knife point and ordered him to give them $100,000 or they would kill him.
Police alleged they beat him up and also stole his mobile phone and $200 cash.
They then allegedly took the Chinese all the way down to west Honiara and further to West Guadalcanal where he luckily escaped through a window when the bus had a tyre puncture.
The Chinese was picked up by a Hilux and dropped off at the Central Police Station where he reported the matter to police.
Police Prosecutor Arnold Horesi is prosecuting the case.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
