- Telekom tower’s solar panels larceny case for plea
- Utupua murder inquiry done, closing sub next
Telekom tower’s solar panels larceny case for plea
THE man who allegedly stole solar panels from the Telekom Tower at Tamboko, Northwest Guadalcanal in 2014 will be taking his plea to the allegation today.
Simion Mauriseni, 31, is facing two counts of simple larceny.
His matter was listed for plea last week but his lawyer had told the court he needs to visit his client face to face.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation, the Rove Correctional Centre had put in place safety measures.
One of the safety measures is for lawyers not to personally visit their clients at the Rove facility and the only means for communication is through phones.
Mauriseni’s lawyer told the court last week that he tried to talk with his client but the mobile phone connection was not clear.
He said he had wrote a letter to the Correctional Centre’s head seeking permission to visit his client as he also needs his client to sign some documents as well.
The matter was then adjourned to yesterday afternoon for the plea.
However, no plea was entered and so the matter was adjourned to today.
Mauriseni was accused of stealing two solar panels from the Telekom tower between 1 July and 31 July 2014 at night around 2am.
The allegation was that Mauriseni and his two co-accused Paul Benneth Kikile and Benward Makei were drunk at that time and went up to the Tamboko Telekom Tower.
There, they allegedly unscrewed the bolts and nuts using shifting spanners and pliers to cut of the wiring cables attached to the solar panels.
It was alleged they then removed 5 x 245 Watts Solar Panels and then sold them.
Mauriseni was re-arrested recently by the police following an arrest warrant was issued for him.
Kilike and Makei are yet to be re-arrested.
The arrest warrants were issued for them after they failed to turn up in court at a previous court occasion.
Utupua murder inquiry done, closing sub next
THE Long Form Preliminary Inquiry (LFPI) conducted on the matter of one of the eight men accused of the death of a man on Utupua Island, Temotu Province in 2019 ended yesterday.
The one day hearing saw a prosecution witness who was related to most of the accused persons as a grand-uncle and an uncle testified in court.
The 67 year-old witness had told court about the events that happened on 22 December 2019 up to the time of the deceased’s death on 31 December 2019.
He told the court he witnessed the alleged assault and castration of the elderly deceased by the accused persons on that day.
The deceased was said to have died on 31 December 2019.
Following the end of this witness’s evidence, Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea adjourned the matter to August 2.
This is for the closing submissions to be made on the inquiry conducted on Michael Mupio’s matter.
Mupio, 35, had opted for a long form preliminary inquiry while his co-accused opted for a short form preliminary inquiry.
His co-accused are Ishmael Nipwae, 54, Nickson Kabitene, 47, Hendry Roto, 60, Samson Muanivi, 48, Josses Miave, 47, Charles Tanen, 41 and a 17-year-old male.
Documents containing the evidence against them were already tendered to the court at a previous court date.
Their lawyers will be making their responses to the inquiry today.
All the accused are facing one count each of murder.
According to the prosecution’s case, the deceased died after developing complications at Aveta Village on Utupua.
Following his death, the eight men were arrested and charged in connection to his death.
The Public Solicitor’s Office (PSO) is representing the accused persons while the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) is appearing for the Crown.
