BY ROMINAH FAKA

Four of nine men accused of assaulting and damaging properties in Savo in February this year have been released on bail.

Jacob Gore, David Bane, Patterson Lugasia and Thomas Fenli were bailed $500 each by their sureties.

Charles Bane, Junior Rollin, Albert Ramo, Rolland Fiu and Pastor Bernard Bana remain in remand.

Court imposed bail conditions for the four – Gore, Bane and Lugasia to reside at Lunga area and Fenli to reside at New Zealand Camp.

They are to report every Friday at Lunga Police Station any time from 8am to 5pm, they will not travel out of the Guadalcanal Island, they are not to interfered with the crown witnesses, not to re-offend and must attend court mentions whenever their matters are listed.

Prosecutions said investigation was completed and disclosures have been served to the counsels in carriage of the file.

Court adjourned the matter for April 26 for all the accused to take their plea.

The nine accused namely, Pastor Bernard Bana,34, Charles Bane,72, David Bane,35, Junior Rollin,27, Thomas Fenli,37, Albert Ramo,21, Rolland Fiu,41, Patterson Iugasia, 38, and Jacob Gore,47, are all jointly charge for Criminal Trespass and Malicious Damage.

Mr Rollin faces an extra charge of being in possession of a firearm.

Allegations said leading up to the incident where Pr Bana had locked up church properties which had been presented to the Bazo SSEC church on Savo by sister churches on Honiara.

This reportedly did not go down well with the Bazo community.

This disagreement eventually led to Bana leaving Bazo for Honiara in January this year.

Two weeks later Bana’s wife returned to Bazo to collect their belongings.

It is alleged while she was packing up their belongings; a man (who would later become the complainant in this case) approached the pastor’s wife and told her to leave the church properties alone.

The wife reported this to her husband (Bana) upon return and he responded by telling her to inform the Bazo community and the man who had approached her to prepare $10,000 as compensation for him (Bana).

On Thursday, February 22 nd Pr Bana and the other eight defendants met near the Yacht club sea front where Bana paid a sea fare of $700 and they crossed to Bazo Village, Savo at 5pm.

Allegations continue that they first shored at Koromilo village where they unloaded seven cartons of beer and headed to Mora village.

They arrived around 6pm in the evening and walked straight to Bazo village, to the complainant’s house.

The complainant and his family were in their kitchen having dinner when defendant David Bane came and spoke with him. One of the defendants threw a punch at the complainant but missed.

One of the defendants grabbed the complainant’s shirt while another defendant who was armed with an axe moved in to attack the complainant. However, the complainant freed himself and escaped.

Rollin gave chase with his home-made pistol but could not catch him, so he returned and threatened one of the villagers with the weapon, it is alleged.

The defendants then turned on the complainant’s house and properties and damaged it.

The total amount of the damaged properties is reportedly $10,470. These include the damaged solar watts, large bucket, and pieces of iron roofing, pots, cups, plates, spoon, luggage basket, dwelling house and kitchen house.

Allegations added that on February 23 the defendants to 16 pieces of roofing iron and a tank belonging to the Bazo church and sold them to some people from nearby Lokanipeo village.

Bazo community reported the matter to the police. On Saturday, February 24 the defendants were about to board a boat back to Honiara when the Police Response Team arrived and apprehended all the defendants and escorted them to Tulagi police station.

Next day they were escorted to Honiara and have been remanded in the custody since.

Iete Tebakota of Police Prosecution Department act for the Crown and Daniel Onorio of PSO appears for Pastor Bernad Bana, Rolland Fiu, Albert Ramo, Charles Bane and Junior Rollin and Bobby Harunari of PSO acts for Thomas Fenli, Patterson Lugasia, Jacob Gore and David Bane.

BY ROMINAH FAKA

The case against a man accused of having sexual intercourse with an underage girl in 2022 has adjourned for April 19.

The suspect is expected to take his plea at this date.

In the previous hearing, defence sought an adjournment on April 11.

However, defence did not turn up on April 11 when the court was called at the magistrates court.

Remand warrant for the accused was extended.

It was alleged on May 22, 2022 at Namoliko Heights area, Vara Creek, the accused has sexual intercourse with the alleged victim, who was reportedly 10 years old at that time.

The matter was later reported to the police on October 21, 2022 and the defendant was charged accordingly.

Office of Public Prosecution appears for the Crown and Allan Tinoni act for accused.

BY ROMINAH FAKA

Court has cancelled the warrant of arrest issued to one of the accused in a case involving allegations of attempting to export illegal drugs.

Beatrice Umea had a warrant of arrest issued out for her when she did not turn up in court in a previous session.

On April 11, Umea and her co-accused, Etekia Kauai turned up in court.

The duo were supposed to take their pleas yesterday but Umea is still without a lawyer and Kauai’s lawyer did not turn up.

Therefore, court adjourned the case for April 26.

Bail for both was extended.

The two are charged in relation to an allegation on June 19, 2019 at the Henderson International Airport.

Prosecution alleged the accused packed eight packets of marijuana inside a speaker in 20 cm by 20 cm plastic bags. This was taken to the airport, where accused Umea was on check-in duty for Solomon Airlines.

It was further alleged that Kauai took the package to Umea and she accepted the package as unaccompanied luggage, but tagged the package to a passenger whom she had already checked in.

When the package went through the screening, suspicious arose, the speaker was unscrewed and the packets of Marijuana were found, before it was loaded onto the flight.

The police then arrested both the accused and charge them jointly for one count of attempting to export a dangerous drug under the Dangerous Drugs Act.

Public Prosecutor Steward Tonowane act for the Crown and Mr. Lappy Hite act for Etekia Kauai.

BY ROMINAH FAKA

The case against a 22-year-old man accused of sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl has been committed to the High Court for trial.

Cedric Kito is facing one count of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 15.

The case will be first called at the High Court on April 26.

Kito had pleaded not guilty in the previous occasion, and prosecution submitted to the court its committal disposition.

Magistrate court ruled that there is sufficient evidence to commit the matter to the High Court for trial.

Remand for Kito was extended for April 26.

Prosecution alleged in October 2023 the alleged victim went to spend the holidays with her uncle at Tenaru, east of Honiara.

In November 2023, Kito was invited by the victim’s uncle to his residence at Tenaru to massage another person for a head illness.

On November 7, 2023 at the uncle’s residence, the alleged victim was instructed by her uncle to light a mosquito coil at a downstairs room where Kito would be sleeping.

Between 9pm and 10pm the victim lit the mosquito coil at the accused’s room and walked back to the veranda and sat there watching movie.

While the victim was still at the veranda, Kito walked out from his room and told the victim to remove the mosquito coil from his room saying it was not good for him.

Allegations continue that the victim then went into the accused’s room to remove the mosquito coil. But Kito approached her from behind and held her tight, removing the mosquito coil from her hand and turning her face towards him. He told her to remove her clothes.

The victim was shocked, allegations say, as she had not expected the accused to do such a thing. The alleged victim refused, so Kito removed her clothes himself along with his, and performed sexual intercourse on her.

After Kito had finished with his activity, he told the alleged victim not to tell anyone then let her go.

Few days later the alleged victim returned to town and reported the matter to her parents, and they reported it to police.

The case was investigated and Kito was arrested and formally charged.

Martha Mutukera for Crown and Roria Sikua for accused.

BY ROMINAH FAKA

The case against a man accused of having sexual intercourse with a child has been adjourned for tomorrow, Friday 12th of April 2024.

Jabeth Iabeta is facing one count of sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 15.

The hearing on Tuesday was for the accused to take his plea, however, his lawyer told the magistrate court that he is yet to take instructions from the accused regarding the plea.

Defence sought adjournment.

Remand warrant for Iabeta was extended.

Prosecution alleged on May 22, 2022 at Namoliko Heights area, Vara Creek, Central Honiara, Iabeta had sexual intercourse with a girl who was 10 years old at the time.

The matter was later reported to police on October 21, 2022 and the defendant was charged accordingly.

The accused was issued with a warrant of arrest. Early this year the warrant of arrest was executed and he has been remanded in custody since.

Office of Public Prosecution appears for the Crown and Allan Tinoni act for accused.