Probe into 2023 Marau murder almost complete
INVESTIGATION into the matter of the man who allegedly strangled a woman to death and forced a witness to ditch her body in the sea at Marau in East Guadalcanal last October is almost complete.
Public Prosecutor Jonathan Auga told the Honiara Magistrate Court on Wednesday that the only task left for police is to compile the photo album of the crime scene and the autopsy album.
Apart from that, police had already obtained statements and the autopsy report which the prosecution is yet to disclose to the defence counsel.
The court also heard the accused was yet to sign his Record of Interview with the Police.
The Public Solicitor George Gray has been allocated to represent the accused Constance Manepania.
Following yesterday’s mention of this matter, it was further adjourned to April 9.
Mr Auga was directed by the court to complete the investigation and provide partial disclosures to the defence counsel before the end of this week.
Manepania is facing an allegation that occurred on the afternoon of 9 October 2023 in Marau.
The prosecution alleged that on evening of the previous day, the deceased and other relatives boarded a canoe to an island called Ravi within Marau region to sleep over for fishing.
At about 8am the next day, the deceased and her two relatives went to the mainland to collect food and water for the group on Ravi Island.
When they reached the mainland, they dug some swamp taro and refilled some water containers and went back to the seaside at Tawanikeni where they left their canoe.
At about 4pm, the deceased and another girl got into their canoe and departed from the mainland to Ravi Island.
However, it was alleged that about few meters from the mainland, the deceased complained of being unwell and that she was afraid to go to Ravi Island.
So, the other girl left the deceased along the seaside so she could slowly walk back home.
After leaving the deceased along the seaside, the girl departed for Ravi Island.
It was further alleged that a witness who helped the defendant to hide the body of the deceased stated that he was on his way to the airport when he heard the sound of a person crying.
The witness stated that when he got closer to where the sound came from, he saw the defendant holding a bush knife on his right hand.
Manepania then allegedly told the witness that he was in big trouble and then led the witness to where the deceased was lying unconsciously.
The deceased was still breathing at that time.
Manepania then allegedly stepped on the deceased’s forehead and squeezed her neck until she stopped breathing.
The prosecution further alleged that Manepania then demanded the witness to take the dead body and sink it in the deep sea.
He threatened to cut the witness with his knife if he did not comply.
The Marau police received the report of the incident on 10 October 2023 after the deceased’s body was washed ashore in front of Conflict Lodge in Marau.
Alleged Holiday Resort robbers back in court today
THE matter of the three men accused of robbing the Holiday Resort at the Lungga/Henderson Crossroad in Central Guadalcanal of $100,000 last year will return to court today.
This is to confirm whether the voir dire hearing (trial within a trial) on this matter will proceed today or not.
The three accused Wale Sio, 22, Dickson Fito’o, 21, and Hudson Susumae, 23, are facing one count of Armed Robbery.
The voir dire hearing was listed to start on Monday but was deferred to yesterday.
In court yesterday, it was heard that the accused Fito’o was sick and the defence counsel for Susumae and Sio sought more time because she was just allocated the matter.
The matter was therefore adjourned to today to confirm if the trial will proceed or vacated.
The trial will start off with the voir dire hearing before it proceeds on to the trial proper (main trial).
The three accused will be contesting admissions they made to police in their Record of Interview (ROI).
After the hearing, the court will then rule if their admissions will form part of the evidence for the main trial or not.
The accused were charged in relation to an allegation in the early hours of 20 January last year.
They allegedly entered the Holiday Resort Motel armed with bush knives.
One of them was alleged to have wounded a victim, who is a Chinese national.
The accused then escaped with $100,000, including Chinese money.
Police recovered a hand bag when they arrested the three defendants but a huge amount of money has not been recovered.
During the Record of Interview with the Police, the defendants made admissions but are now contesting them.
Rochelle Palmer and Delilah Kukura of Public Solicitor’s Office are representing the three defendants, whilst Public Prosecutor Vernon Taupongi is prosecuting.
