BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
THE committal hearing into the case of a man who was charged by police regarding the death of a 28-year-old boy at a village in Rennell will be made today before Principal Magistrate Fatimah Taeburi.
He had already entered a guilty plea in the last occasion and today’s court session is for counsels to make submissions to commit the matter to the High Court for sentencing.
Ashley Ghapuika of Rennell Island, Rennell Bellona province was charged for the murder of a man at Avatai village in West Rennell on February 15, 2021.
The allegation said that the deceased and his uncle were in their kitchen at Avatai Village in west Rennell trying to light a roll of cigarette.
It was when the deceased was trying to light his smoke, when the suspect entered the door of the kitchen with a long bush knife and walked straight to where the deceased was standing and allegedly cut the deceased once on the back of his neck.
It is believed the deceased was not able to defend himself due to the sudden attack. The suspect later went outside from the kitchen and he walked away with his bush knife full of blood.
The deceased was rushed to the Tigoa mini-Hospital in West Rennell in a vehicle but was confirmed dead by the nurse in charge.
