POLICE have located and arrested two of prosecution’s witnesses who failed to turn up in court to give evidence in a murder trial in the High Court.
Their warrants of arrests were however discharged on Wednesday since the trial did not proceed.
This was due to the defence counsel being reportedly sick.
These witnesses will however, wait to testify in court on Monday next week when the trial resumes before Chief Justice Sir Albert Palmer.
Director of Public Prosecutions Ronald Bei Talasasa on Monday applied for the warrant of arrest for these two witnesses following their non-appearance in court.
One was supposed to be cross-examined by the defence counsel while the other is to testify next.
Mr Talasasa sought that these two witnesses be kept in custody until their evidences are completed.
But since trial did not proceed and the court had discharged their warrant of arrests, they however be kept in town under close surveillance until Monday next week.
These two witnesses are among other prosecution’s witnesses who gave evidence in relation to a shoot out during the height of the ethnic tension on 3 September 2002.
The accused James Salovi is facing court for the alleged murder of four people during that shoot out.
Prosecution alleged that he and others ambushed a vehicle at Dereni, Guadalcanal, which was transporting about 25 people to a medical clinic and a school.
The occupants were mainly women and children.
It is alleged that the ambushers were armed with high powered firearms.
During the incident it is alleged that Salovi with the others opened fire on the vehicle killing an adult woman, two 12-year old males, and one 5-year old male and injuring few other persons.
Salovi was arrested and charged with the four counts of murder in 2008.
He later applied for bail which was granted but failed to appear in Court on 7 October 2010.
He was arrested under a warrant of arrest in 2013 by a joint operation consisting of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and the RAMSI Participating Police Force (PPF).
Sarah Karani of Public Solicitor’s Office represents Salovi while the Director of Public Prosecutor Ronald Bei Talasasa and his junior counsel Jasper Anisi are representing the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
