BY ROMINAH FAKA
The case of three men accused of burning two houses at Kakalu village, West Guadalcanal has adjourned to December 30 for court to deliver judgment.
Yesterday the matter was mentioned in court where defence said they were yet to file their closing submissions.
Court therefore made directions for the three defence lawyers to file their closing submissions before 3pm today December 18.
Saverio Mate, 25, Lency Raga, 40 and John Longatabo, 28, are jointly charged with two counts of arson and one count of assault causing bodily harm.
They pleaded not guilty and a trial was conducted before Principal Magistrate Fatimah Taeburi.
The prosecution called two witness to testify, the complainant and his wife and tendered 13 exhibits.
After prosecution closed its case on December 9, 2024 defence did not call any witness however, they filed a No Case to Answer.
Court ruled that there was a case to answer to count 1 and 2 which is arson and for count 3 which is assault causing bodily harm, court acquit the three defendants because the prosecution fail to bring forward the complainant for count 3 to testify in court.
Matter was adjourned to December 30 for judgement.
The prosecution alleged that on October 12, 2022, the defendants were alleged to be part of a group of men that went and asked compensation from the complainant at the Kakalu Village, West Guadalcanal Province.
They claimed the complainant stole their live pig and that he must give them some money, if not they will return and burn down his house.
Later, the defendants went and set a fire to the complainant two dwelling houses.
With regards to charge of assault causing bodily harm, the three defendants on 11th and 12 of October, 2022 at around 1800hrs to 0400hrs, between Kakalu village and Matakao village, West Guadalcanal, did unlawfully assaulted another person there by occasioning the said person, actual bodily harm by grabbing, kicking his face and also struck his back with the side of a bush knife and shot him with a sling striking his foot with a piece of galvanized iron pipe.
Paul Junior Fanasia from Office of Public Prosecution appear act for the Crown and Delilah Kukura, Ron Dicky Pulekera and Lazarus Waroka from PSO act for the defendants.
