BY ROMINAH FAKA
The trial of two men accused of killing an off-duty officer at Dragon Pub last year has been adjourned for June 23 for continuation of the prosecution case.
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.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charge.
So far, the prosecution has called three witnesses, with three more remaining to give evidence when the trial resumes on June 23.
The reason for the adjournment was because the defence counsel for defendant James Solomon Kai is currency involved in another trial at High Court and the Public Solicitor Office (PSO) was also engaged in a meeting.
The allegation is that the deceased and his colleague along with the colleague’s wife went to Dragon Pub on the night of May 16, 2024 for drinks.
Some time between 12 am and 1 am in the morning 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 fell to the ground unconsciously.
It was alleged that during the course of the argument the deceased took out and applied a pepper spray on the group of men he was arguing with at that time.
The deceased was later dragged out of the pub by an off-duty security defendant Daoburi.
The prosecution alleged that at the time of the incident, the defendant Paul Daoburi was in possession of a snooker stick, which he used to strike the deceased on the head.
His co-accused defendant James Solomon Kai was also at the Dragon Pub area. He was in possession of a bottle which he used to hit the head of the deceased with it.
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 that the actions of the defendants directly led to the death of the deceased.
Patricia Tabepuda Waisanau together with Martha Mutukera are prosecuting and Hubert Fugui of HOF Law Chambers act for Kai and Oxley Limeniala act for Daoburi.
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