A mentally disabled man accused of breaching the Covid-19 related lockdown in May is required to attend court on Friday.
Jeffery Basiota is facing one count of restriction of movement.
He did not appear in the Honiara Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
His lawyer Bobby Harunari of Public Solicitor’s Office told the court that he did not contact his client as one of his niece’s mother had just died.
According to the psychiatrist’s report, Basiota is a person of unsound mind or has a mental disability.
Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison will be inquiring into the mental condition of the accused on the next occasion.
If in the event Hollison is satisfied Basiota is mentally disabled then the prosecution will be writing a letter to the Governor-General (GG) for his recommendation regarding this matter.
Basiota was accused of breaching the lockdown on May 21 this year.
He was allegedly arrested after police sighted him walking along the road beside Woodford School, Honiara at 7 am on that day.
Basiota’s place of residence is allegedly at an area behind the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) at Kukum.
Public Prosecutor Paul Junior Fanasia appeared for the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Newsroom, Honiara
