AN accused charged with murder following a killing in East Guadalcanal in 2010 has had his case further adjourned to April 23.
Alphy Manedetea appeared in the Honiara Magistrates’ Court yesterday but was further remanded in custody.
Police Prosecutor Abel Maelanga told the court that the file will be transferred to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
“The file should have already been transferred to the ODPP office.”
However, he said since the investigator had just returned the file to them it would be unfair for them to hand over the file on a short notice to the ODPP.
He said he had therefore had to stand in to mention the case for the last time before transferring the file to the ODPP.
He added that Manedetea is co-accused with Stanley Gitoa in this case.
The ODPP office is in carriage of Gitoa’s case.
Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika adjourned the matter to allow the transfer to take place and for Manedetea’s lawyer to take instructions from him.
Manedetea is facing one count of murder.
Prosecution alleged that on November 11, 2010 Manedetea and Gitoa attacked the deceased and threw heavy bricks and timbers on the deceased’s chest and ribs.
Earlier in the day, Manedetea had an argument with the deceased in a truck while on their way from the Guadalcanal Plain Palm Oil Limited (GPPOL) area to Tetere.
It was alleged the vehicle stopped and they both got out and went to a bottle shop at Tetere where they allegedly bought beer and were drinking in front of the bottle shop.
It was then alleged that Gitoa arrived at the scene and started attacking the deceased.
Manedetea allegedly join in and attacked the deceased before they both left the deceased’s lifeless body lying and return home to their village at Mbinu.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
