A GIRL whose skeletal remains were found by students on a picnic trip in the upper Mataniko area in 2012 was killed on the Tuvaruhu hill top, the High Court heard on Wednesday.
Flora Akwai’s boyfriend allegedly stabbed her with a knife, knocked her head with a stone, before rolling the body down the hill.
It was two weeks later on 9 October that students of Tuvaruhu School found the remains of the body.
The chilling details of this murder case were revealed in the High Court yesterday as the trial of alleged killer Brian Schofield Baro Alagere started before Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer.
Alagere is facing one count of murder.
State prosecutor Miriam Manata told the court in her opening address 21-year-old Flora met her untimely death on 24 September 2012 on the summit of Tuvaruhu hill.
“Accused Alagere murdered her,” Mrs Manata told Sir Albert.
“The Crown’s theory is that Alagere murdered Flora, disposed off her body and attempted to pass the blame on John Sale, who is in this case the main prosecution witness,” she added.
The prosecutor told the court Alagere and Flora were in a relationship and later engaged to be married.
“But their relationship was prone to abuse,” Mrs Manata said.
“The accused assaulted the deceased physically a number of times and violated her privacy on one occasion.
“As a result of the repeated abuse and the incident of violating her privacy Flora’s father and family did not want their daughter to continue in the relationship.”
Mrs Manata told the court the killing took place on 24 September after the accused arranged to meet the deceased at Tuvaruhu hill.
“Before going up to meet the Flora, Alagere went to the home of John Sale (prosecution witness) and asked him to go for a stroll with him.”
“Both of them went up to the Tuvaruhu hilltop. When they arrived at the top of the hill, Alagere made a phone call. Sometime after a phone call, Flora arrived at the hill top,” Mrs Manata told the court.
She said at the hill top, Alagere and Flora started having a discussion while Sale stood a distance away.
“Suddenly, Sale heard the deceased shout out,” the prosecutor said.
“He turned around and saw the Alagere take out a knife and stabbed Flora on her left side.
“Flora fell to the ground in a sitting position.
“Sale moved towards Alagere to find out what was going on, but the accused told him to back off or he would stab him.
“Sale left Alagere and Flora on the hill top,” Mrs Manata said.
She said the crown will allege Alagere knocked Flora on the head with a stone, which led to her death.
“Alagere then rolled Flora’s body down from the hill to the bottom and went away,” the prosecutor alleged.
She said the body’s remains were forensically examined and were confirmed to be that of Flora.
And according to the doctor’s opinion, Flora died as a result of a blunt force to her head.
Mrs Manata said the prosecution is going to call eight witnesses.
George Gray of Public Solicitor’s Office is representing Alagere.
The trial continues.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
