A third bail application will be made today for one of the men accused of the daylight robbery outside the Bank of South Pacific at Point Cruz last month.
Lawyer representing Billy Deodore is making the bail application with one of the reasons being that Deodore’s father has died.
This is to allow Deodore to attend the funeral.
The court has on two occasions refused bails for Deodore and his co-accused Milton Gwaliasi.
All the accused turned up in court yesterday during which the prosecution informed the court that investigation is nearing completion.
Only Deodore will turn up in court today for the bail application.
He will then return again in court with his co-accused, the alleged ring leader, Richard Rurai, the driver of the car Ben Farobo, Stanley Ramo, Junior David Faiga, Junior Eric Nathaniel and Gwaliasi on February 29.
That is when prosecution will update the court on the status of the investigations and for all of them to enter their pleas.
The court will then fix a date for a pre-trial conference to be conducted on their case.
The alleged incident occurred on the morning of 18 January this year outside of the old Westpac Bank, which is now the BSP.
The complainant in this matter, Wilson Deng and another Asian man were about to enter the bank, when four of the accused allegedly attacked Deng.
The two Chinese nationals were employees of the New Chapter Shop at Chinatown and were on their way to make deposits that day.
Deng was carrying the tightly taped brown carton which he claimed has in it $1 million.
It was alleged that one of the four masked men were armed with a knife.
The four men allegedly came in a car that was parked in front of the BSP building while the fifth accused who was the driver remained in the car.
One of the men allegedly took the box and jumped in the waiting car.
The armed accused allegedly struck Deng with the knife he was holding while another shot him using a sling.
Deng reportedly hanged onto the moving car but the car moved faster that Deng fell off and further injured his arms and toes.
Farobo, Milton and Billy Deodore were arrested at around 8pm at Deodore’s residence at Hammock Beach.
Police had so far recovered more than $200, 000.
Police said that though Deodore and Gwaliasi were not linked to the actual armed robbery, they were found associating and accompanying Farobo.
Rurai in his record of interview admitted planning the armed robbery with Eric, Faiga and Ramo which started on January 1.
According to the allegation, he also admitted having several meetings and planning with the trio days before executing the robbery and that they shared parts of the stolen money between them.
George Gray of Public Solicitor’s Office is representing all accused.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
