BY ROMINAH FAKA
The High Court is scheduled to hear a No Case To Answer (NCTA) application today, Tuesday, July 8, 2025 in the ongoing trial of two men charged in connection with the fatal attack on an off-duty police officer at the Dragon Pub in Kukum, in May last year.
Paul Daoburi, 35, and his co-accused James Solomon Kai, 21, are jointly charged with one count of murder contrary to section 200 of the Penal Code and both have pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The trial was conducted before Judge John Keniapisia.
The prosecution called its witnesses and after completing its case, defence opted for no case to answer application.
Court adjourned for this afternoon, Tuesday July 8, 2025 to hear that application.
The allegation said the deceased and his colleague, along with the colleague’s wife, went to the Dragon Pub on the night of May 16, 2024 for drinks.
Sometime between 12am and 1am, an argument broke out between the deceased and a group of men following an assault on his colleague’s wife in which a bottle was allegedly smashed against her head causing her to fall to the ground unconscious.
It was alleged that during the course of argument, the deceased took out and applied pepper spray on the group of men he was arguing with.
The deceased was later dragged out of the pub by an off-duty security, defendant Daoburi.
Prosecution alleged that at the time of the incident, Daoburi was in possession of a snooker stick, which he used to strike the deceased on the head with.
Kai was also at the Dragons Pub area. He was in possession of a bottle which he used to hit the head of the deceased with.
Following the assaults, the deceased was rushed to the National Referral Hospital (NRH) but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The prosecution case aims to prove the actions of the defendants directly led to the death of the deceased.
Patricia Tabepuda Waisanau together with Martha Mutukera prosecuting and Hubert Fugui of HOF Law Chambers act for Kai and Oxley Limeniala act for Daoburi.
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