THE sentencing submissions and mitigation on the matter of the MP for Central Guadalcanal, Peter Shanel Agovaka will be made in court, Wednesday.
Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi will be hearing submissions for the sentence and mitigation from the defence and prosecution.
Those submissions were supposed to be made in court last month.
It was however further adjourned to prosecution and Shanel’s co-accused Steven Wako to sort out some issues raised by the magistrate regarding Wako’s agreed facts.
Another issue that also arose at that time was Agovaka’s previous conviction.
Wako and Agovaka were jointly charged with one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Wako had already pleaded guilty to the charge in 2015 while Agovaka denied the charge and a full trial was conducted.
After the trial, Ms Taeburi found Agovaka guilty of the charge of common assault instead and had him acquitted of the initial charge.
The incident occurred at Agovaka’s residence at Lengakiki, Honiara on 17 December 2013.
Agovaka was the MP for Central Guadalcanal at that time.
The complainant who is one of his voters went to Agovaka’s residence to enquire about timbers to complete his family’s house.
The court had found from evidences in court that the complainant was shouting loudly and demanded explanations from the CDO and Agovaka to fulfil Agovaka’s promises to supply him and his family timbers to complete their house.
After the trial, the court found that Wako first assaulted the complainant before Agovaka joined the fight.
The court found that Agovaka kicked the complainant twice whilst he was standing and whilst he was lying on the ground.
The complainant was kicked on the face and thighs.
Francis Waleilia of Tandai Lawyers is representing Agovaka while Public Solicitor’s lawyer Allan Tinoni represents Wako.
Public Prosecutor Bradley Dalipanda is prosecuting.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
