Prosecution will be serving summon to an alleged rapist to appear in the Honiara Magistrates’ Court on July 8.
The 41-year-old man is facing one count of rape where he was accused of raping a 14 year-old girl at a village in Aola, Northeast Guadalcanal in 2012.
He did not turn up yesterday and his lawyer told the court that his client lives some distances away in East Guadalcanal.
He said there are times his clients have difficulties with transportation due to the recent flash flood.
A lawyer from the Public Solicitor’s Office Chris Rarumae said he had received disclosures from the prosecution but is yet take instructions from his client.
He then asked the court to have any warrant of arrest issued for his client to lay on the file if prosecution is seeking to apply for one.
Public Prosecutor Nelson Dhita however said there was confusion over whether the accused is on bail or in custody when the file was transferred from the Police Prosecution to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.
Dhita said it was just yesterday that he was aware the accused is on bail.
To make it fair with the accused, prosecution did not apply for a warrant of arrest but will be serving summon to him to inform him of the next court date.
If he fails to attend the next court date then that is when the prosecution will apply for a warrant of arrest for him.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN