THE court has withdrawn the case against three men accused of robbing $100,000 from the Holiday Resort in Lungga/Crossroad, Central Guadalcanal in 2023 due to insufficient evidence.
As such, the trial previously set for this week, will no longer take place.
Principal Magistrate Elma Veenah Rizzu Hilly on Thursday granted the prosecution’s application made under section 190 (2) (b) (ii) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
This is to withdraw the charge of Armed Robbery against the three defendants, Dickson Fito’o, 21, Wale Sio, 22 and Hudson Susumae, 23.
Public Prosecutor Sabrina Habu made the application on the basis of insufficient evidence.
This section of the CPC provides for a discharge, with the possibility of the prosecution reinstating the charge once they have sufficient evidence in the future.
As a result of the withdrawal, a warrant of arrest issued for Fito’o, since last month was cancelled.
The accused were charged in relation to an allegation in the early hours of 20 January 2023.
They allegedly entered the motel armed with bush knives, wounded a Chinese national, and escaped with $100,000 including Chinese currency.
Although police recovered a handbag when they arrested the defendants, a large amount of money remains unrecovered.
The trio was represented by lawyers Rochelle Palmer, Bobby Harunari, and Delilah Kukura Fagani from the Public Solicitor’s Office.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
