BY ROMINAH FAKA
The case against two people accused of attempting to smuggle illegal drugs to Kiribati has adjourned for May 3.
This is for the accused, Beatrice Umea and Etekia Kauai to take their pleas.
The case was mentioned again in court Friday last week, where only Ms Umea showed up.
She told court that she is still to get a lawyer to represent her.
As for Mr Kauai, prosecution said he is also still without a legal representative.
Court adjourned the matter for May 3, PSO to allocate a lawyer for Umea before May 3. Kauai is to visit Lappy law firm if he wishes for them to represent him in court, and bail extends for both however, Kauai if he did not appear again this Friday court will issue a warrant of arrest against him.
The two accused 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 and Beatric Umea yet to allocate with Lawyer from PSO.
