BY ROMINAH FAKA
Trial into the case of Zane Taisia Gegeu and his co-accused Brendon Kakai who are charged jointly with assault causing bodily harm is set for April 15.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge, and the defence lawyer for Mr Kakai sent a proposal to prosecution negotiating the charge to be reduced to that of common assault.
On Friday last week the case was called in the magistrate court for interim-mention.
Kakai’s lawyer told court that prosecution has accepted his proposal, hence, Kakai is now charged with common assault, while Mr Gegeu faces assault causing bodily harm.
Kakai’s lawyer told court he was yet to finalise the agreed facts and to inform Kakai about the amended charge before he takes his plea in the next mention date.
The crown will call four witness, defence for Gegeu will call two witnesses and defence counsel for Kakai will call one witness.
Court suspended the matter to Friday this week for Kakai to take his plea and for his lawyer to finalise the facts.
Meanwhile, Gegeu is charged separately with one count of murder and one count of driving without valid licence.
His case was also mentioned in court on Friday last week, where prosecution told court he was unable to compile the case file because he was just allocated the case.
Prosecution told court he had just received additional disclosures on February 21 and is yet to serve it to Gegeu’s lawyer.
Prosecution sought an adjournment since there is still three outstanding statements to collect.
Court adjourned to March 1 for possible Short-Form Preliminary Inquiry (PI).
Remand warrant for Gegeu was extended.
Regarding the assault charge, it was alleged that on January 1 this year, early in the morning, Gegeu and Kakai assaulted the complainant without any lawful reason.
Prosecution alleged that Gegeu took a bottle of Solbrew and hit the complainant’s head with it, causing blood to come off from the complainant’s forehead.
The complainant went and reported the matter to police the next day.
Regarding the charge of murder and driving without valid licence, prosecution alleged that Gegeu between 3 – 5am on January 1, 2024, drove a vehicle through the Supreme Casino second boom gate known to be the Eastern side and then made a quick turn heading back in the westly direction at a very high speed.
Allegation said the accused drove straight towards a group of girls, including the deceased.
When the group of girls saw the vehicle running straight towards them, they jumped trying to avoid the oncoming vehicle.
But, the deceased was hit by the vehicle.
Allegations said after the accused hit the victim, he reversed the vehicle and escaped out of the Supreme Casino area.
The deceased was transported to the National Referral Hospital (NRH) where she was later pronounced dead.
The accused was arrested and charged with murder and driving without valid licence.
John Wesley Zoze from Public Prosecution Office acts for the Crown, Lazurus Waroka of PSO acts for Zane Taisia Gegeu and Ron Pulekera of PSO acts for Brenden Kakai.
