* Alleged drug-dealer wants lawyer
* Mitigation next for reckless youth
Alleged drug-dealer wants lawyer
A MAN who was caught with a parcel of dried marijuana leaves in his bag at Point Cruz last month is asking for more time to find a lawyer to represent him in court.
Jeffery Keia was charged after police found him in possession of the marijuana dried leaves on August 20th, inside the police post at the Central Honiara Market.
He appeared yesterday in the Honiara Magistrates’ Court and asked the court to release him on bail to enable him to look for a lawyer to represent him.
The accused told the court that the Rove Correctional Centre is so full and therefore could not get a lawyer to represent him.
Principal Magistrate Tearo Beneteti however told him that, she cannot just release him as he is in custody according to the law.
She however told him that he can apply for bail if he wants to as that is his right.
Ms Beneteti also told the accused that he can still fill up a form in custody to send a request for a lawyer to the Public Solicitor’s Office.
She advised him to ask a correctional officer to assist him to fill up his form and have it sent to the Public Solicitors Office (PSO).
“You can then call to the PSO to follow up on your request.”
Keia will appear in court again on October 8 where he is expected to update the court as to whether or not he already has a lawyer.
Mitigation next for reckless youth
A YOUNG man who confesses to jumping onto a vehicle at Town Ground, and broke its front windscreen has been given time to prepare his mitigation.
The matter of Rex Baefolo, 24, who faces one count of wilful and unlawful damage, came before the court yesterday for him to present his mitigating factors to the court.
Baefolo however did not say anything in court and later with an assistance of a lawyer, sought an adjournment for mitigation purposes.
Principal Magistrate,TearoBeneteti has asked a lawyer present in court to assist the accused on which after the lawyer looked through Baefolo’s disclosures asked for an adjournment.
Stanley Aupai of Public Solicitor’s Office said he will ask his office to allocate a lawyer for the accused to assist with the mitigation.
Police Prosecutor,Henry Oneone had asked the court to impose a custodial sentence.
Baefolo was charged in relation to the incident on the afternoon of 31 August this year, where he jumped onto the front windscreen of a Caldina that was about to turn right intending to head towards Lengakiki road from Town Ground.
The accused having jumped on top of vehicle’s bonnet then stepped onto the front windscreen, cracking the windscreen as a result of that.
He then fell from the vehicle and tried to escape but was however arrested by an off duty police officer who was also present at that time.
The accused was under the influence of liquor at that time.
The cost to repair the broken front windscreen is about more than $5,000.
