BY MELVILLE TITIULU
The Magistrate’s Court has referred the case of a man accused of murder to the High Court for trial after it considered the prosecution’s evidence as tendered a fortnight ago during a short-form preliminary inquiry.
Junior Lana Malaika, of Longu Lava Village, South East Guadalcanal, Guadalcanal Province, was charged with Murder contrary to section 200 of the penal code.
Malaika pleaded not guilty to the murder charge when arraigned on May 7, 2026.
It was alleged that the defendant, at the Motor Pool area, Henderson, on February 1, 2026, murdered Elson Deke (deceased).
The murder incident stemmed from a fundraising card game held at the Motor Pool area, Henderson, East Honiara.
Police received a report of the murder incident on the same day, and later apprehended the suspect. Formal investigations to obtain evidence were later conducted to substantiate the charge of murder.
Principal Magistrate Ben Alasia, in delivering his ruling yesterday, said the evidence tendered by the prosecution two weeks ago is sufficient to have the matter referred to the High Court for a proper trial.
The ruling comes after the magistrate’s court conducted a short-form preliminary inquiry into the evidence the prosecution will rely on at trial.
The offences of murder are only triable in the High Court, as it is the court of unlimited jurisdiction, where it has the power to hear offences of life imprisonment.
Principal Magistrate Alasia directed the prosecution to prepare the charge sheet and have it filed at the High Court registry before next Friday, May 29, 2026.
Jeremy Oifa represents the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and Jason Anisi from the Public Solicitors’ Office represents the defendant.
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