BY ROMINAH FAKA
Three men accused of multiple charges pleaded not guilty at the magistrate court.
Saverio Mate, 25, Lency Raga, 40, John Longatabo, 28, were all charged jointly with two counts of arson and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Prosecution sought seven days’ adjournment for it to complete the Pre-Trial-Conference (PTC) documents.
Court extended the remand warrant for Longatabo and bail for Raga and Mate.
Court instructed the parties to file the PTC before close of business on April 8 before coming back to court on April 9.
Prosecution alleged that on October 12, 2022, the defendants were alleged to be part of a group of men that went and asked compensation from the complainant at Kakalu Village, West Guadalcanal.
They claimed the complainant had stolen their live pig and demanded he gave them some money if not they would return and burn down his house.
Later, the defendants went and set fire to the complainant’s two dwelling houses.
Steward Tonowane of DPP act for the Crown and PSO act for the defendants.
