The man accused of the murder of a former beauty contestant at Noro, last year will enter his plea on Thursday.
Lawyer representing Joshua Naurua will also on that date inform court on the type of preliminary inquiry on the murder case as to whether it will be a short or a long form preliminary inquiry.
A short form preliminary inquiry would only required documents to be tendered to court but a long form preliminary inquiry required a witness or witnesses to give evidence in court.
Naurua appeared briefly in the Honiara Magistrates’ Court yesterday without his lawyer.
Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi told a lawyer present in court yesterday to inform his colleague George Gray to appear in court on the next date.
The 29 year-old accused of Canaan Village at Kohingo Island near Noro, was accused of the murder of Patricia Teata Lafucy on the early hours of 1 March 2014 at Backway settlement.
Prosecution alleged the on the night of February 28, the accused, his friend, the deceased Patricia Teata Lafusy and her cousin sister attended the Tuna nightclub at Noro.
After the club closed at 2 am, it was alleged the four left the club at around 3.30am in a cab and were dropped off at the road junctions towards the back way at Warkworth area.
Whilst there, it was alleged that the four then separated in twos, Naurua’s friend was with the deceased’s cousin sister while Naurua and the deceased walked towards an isolated road towards Backway settlement.
Police alleged that according to eye witnesses, the accused was forcing the accused by grabbing her with both of his hands trying to convince her to accept him but the deceased refused by pushing him away.
Police alleged that there was heavy rain that early Sunday morning and so Naurua’s friend and the deceased’s cousin ran back to the Chacha security tent about 50 metres from that location, leaving the suspect and the deceased behind alone.
It was alleged that the deceased then run down the slope and the suspect followed her by running after her.
The deceased’s dead body was found at 1pm on Sunday 01 March 2015 at the same location where she was last seen with the accused.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
