BY ROMINAH FAKA
Court has set the tentative trial date for voir dire into the case of four men accused charged with grievous bodily harm to March 31, 2025.
The matter was moved from previous principal magistrate to a new presiding magistrate, the reason being one of the accused is related to the magistrate.
However, the presiding magistrate’s calendar for this year is fully booked.
Court moved to November 22 for interim-mention. All accused are excused from appearing in court up till February 28, 2025 for last interim-mention which they are expected to appear in court.
Court also directs in any event any of the accused were intending to travel out of Honiara, they are required to inform their lawyer for court to varied their bail conditions.
Prosecution charged Luise Meke, Daniel Rofeta, Warren Basil and Daniel Fugui jointly for count of grievous bodily harm.
All the four accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
It was alleged between 1am and 2am in the morning of August 16, 2023 at the Town Council Depot area.
The complainant was waiting at the front gate of the Holy Cross transit in front of his girlfriend’s residence.
It was alleged that the complainant honked for the security guard to open the gate for him and whilst waiting, he saw all the four accused running towards him from the opposite side of the road.
When the victim shows that, he began to suspicious that this group might harm him and he quickly drove away to escape from them.
After 30 minutes and so complainant return to the same located and whilst waiting for the security to open the gate he smoked a cigarette.
All of the sudden the accused group attacked the complainant from behind.
They used a hard object to strike the complainant right hand, causing him to fall onto the road unconsciously.
Fortunately, one of the security officers at the Honiara City Council (HCC) workshop witnesses the attack and intervened and prevent the boys from further harming the complainant.
Later he was later assisted to his girlfriend residence and later that same night complainant was not feeling well and went to National Referral Hospital.
He was informed that his right side of his skull was cracked and there was internal bleeding.
The injuries sustain by the victim was severe he was referred to Gold Coast University Hospital in Queensland, Australia for further medical assists.
Vernon Taupongi acts for the crown and Delilah Kukura represent Luise Meke, Daniel Onorio represent Warren Basil, Jennifer Happilyn represent Daniel Fugui and Daniel Rofeta.
