Mother accused of killing newborn baby released on bail
A 30-year-old mother accused of killing her new born baby girl at Gela, Central Islands Province last December has been released on bail yesterday.
She was charged with infanticide and released on a cash bail of $1,000.
Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison yesterday granted the bail application and imposed strict bail conditions for her to abide by whilst on bail.
The conditions include not to interfere with Police witnesses, not to leave Honiara town boundary and report once a week to the Central Police Station.
The defendant will be facing the Honiara Magistrate’s Court again on February 10.
That is for her to enter her plea and for possible Committal Hearing.
Steven Weago of Public Solicitor’s Office who represents the defendant having confirmed receiving disclosures had asked for more time.
He said this is for him to re-look at the evidences and decide on which type of preliminary inquiry (Committal Hearing) they will elect to be conducted on this matter.
The defendant and her husband have four children together.
The deceased baby is the defendant’s fifth child.
The alleged incident occurred at about 3pm on 20 December 2022 at a village in Gela.
Prosecution alleged after checking on her neighbours and seeing no one about, she walked behind their kitchen and gave birth to a live baby girl.
The defendant then allegedly suffocated the baby until she was no longer breathing.
It was alleged she killed the baby thinking the baby might not belong to her husband.
That same day, the defendant hid the baby from her neighbours and then threw her into the sea.
The baby’s body was washed ashore and discovered on the following day by a villager who then reported the matter to the Police.
Kukum murder committal hearing vacated
A LONG form preliminary inquiry into the murder of a 15- year-old boy at Kukum, Honiara last August which supposed to start yesterday has been vacated.
This was because the presiding magistrate was not available and prosecution still has one outstanding material to disclose to the defence counsel.
Michael Tate, 40 is facing one count of murder.
He appeared in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court yesterday on bail and his matter was further adjourned to February 20.
That is for the fixing of the new Committal Hearing dates.
The Prosecution had informed the court yesterday that footage and photos taken by a witness at the hospital that is yet to be obtained by the Police.
Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi after hearing from both the defence and the prosecution adjourned the matter to the next court date.
She also ordered the Prosecution and the Police to complete all investigation and disclose all materials to the defence counsel before the next court date.
Tate allegedly beat the deceased, teenager nicknamed “White Angel” with a piece of a fallen rain tree on 7 August 2022 at Kukum.
This was after the teenager and another boy allegedly stole a bag from a car parked in front of the shop at Kukum.
The strikes landed on the deceased’s head, shoulders, ribs, back and leg.
After the beatings, the deceased escaped towards the Mbua Valley School.
He exited through the Ports area before he collapsed on the main road to Mbua Valley.
The deceased was assisted by the Police to the National Referral Hospital, but unfortunately pronounced dead on the following day.
An autopsy was conducted and confirmed the deceased died from severe brain injury.
Man to face trial at High Court for murder
A MAN accused of killing a person with disability at West Kolaridge, Honiara last October will be facing trial in the High Court.
This was after Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison found sufficient evidence against the accused Jemmy Teleinao for him to face trial in the High Court on the charge of murder.
A Short Form Preliminary Inquiry (Committal Hearing) was conducted on his matter at a previous court hearing, where prosecution tendered papers containing the evidences to the Court.
The defence counsel also concedes that there is sufficient evidence for him to face trial in the High Court.
Teleinao was charged in connection to the allegation on 23 October last year.
He allegedly hit the neck of the deceased who is a disabled person three times with the deceased’s walking stick.
This was after he allegedly got angry with the deceased for asking him twice to fetch water to mix with their left-over alcohol.
Teleinao, the deceased and other youths at West Kolaridge were said to be having a drinking spree just beside the Jacob’s ladder at the area on the night of 22 October this year.
Prosecution alleged that they were enjoying their time throughout the night until the next day on Sunday October 23.
The rest of the boys then left leaving Teleinao and the deceased alone.
It was then that the alleged incident occurred.
A neighbour intervened and tried to save the deceased who had lost his breath.
After regaining his breath, he was assisted to the National Referral Hospital and was later pronounced dead.
