BSP armed robbery cases committed to High Court

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE two cases of armed robbery at the BSP bank in Honiara were committed to the High Court yesterday for trial.

The committal ruling was made yesterday at the Honiara Magistrate Court.

The case for the armed robbery in Auki was adjourned for today to allow prosecution to provide a clear copy of the disclosures to the court.

These were the incidents that occurred in 2015 and 2016 where police alleged that men wearing masks and armed with weapons had robbed from the BSP banks in Honiara and Auki.

It was previously decided to have them committed to the High Court as their nature were serious; thus committing the cases to the High Court ensures higher sentences are imposed on the three cases.

One of the cases is in relation to the alleged robbery in 2015.

Police alleged that the men were robbing about $4 million after chopping off a security guard’s wrist between 10am and 11am of January 19, 2015.

Police said that after they took the money they drove off in the westerly direction at very high speed.

Police and the public chased the car which resulted in it crashing at Kakabona.

Police said when the car overturned five men came out from the car with knives and threatened that no one could go near them but residents at Kakabona chased them when they heard from police that they were the suspected robbers.

Another case is in relation the incident which occurred on November 27, 2015 in Auki.

Police said the men were armed with weapons and one of them had a gun and fired a shot while standing outside the bank as lookout, the court was told. Another accused stayed in the getaway car

Two others went into the bank and filled up bags with about SI$200,000 and US$10,000, the court heard.

The prosecution said that another shot was fired before the accused left the bank.

And the third bank robbery case was in relation to the attack on the two Asian businessmen outside the old Westpac bank, now BSP

Police allege that the four accused were masked and armed with a knife when they attacked two Asians as they were about to enter the bank.

One of the businessmen was struck with a knife and also shot from a sling, the court was told.

The Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the state while Lawyers from the Public Solicitor’s Office represents all accused.

Discover more from Theislandsun

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading