* Man jailed for hitting brother-in-law with cup
* Three-tonne driver’s sentence today
* Summons served on duo
Man jailed for hitting brother-in-law with cup
A YOUNG man who hit his brother-in-law on the head with a cup during a soccer match on Gela last July was yesterday sentenced to one year in prison.
Nelson Bonogo Jnr pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful wounding.
In sentencing Bonogo, Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi said she accepted the incident arose out of a long-standing disagreement between Bonogo and the victim. She also considered the fact that Bonogo intentionally hit the victim’s head with a cup and considered the injury as serious.
“Nevertheless, an ambush attack on an unarmed man is unjustified and the convict must be penalised,” Taeburi said.
“It is even more serious because it was inflicted to the head,” the Principal Magistrate said.
The court heard that Bonogo hit his brother-in-law on the head with a cup while he was watching a soccer match at Hagalu Village, Gela on 22 July 2020..
The incident stemmed from a long-standing disagreement between the accused and the victim. The court also heard that following the incident the victim was rushed to Tulagi Hospital where he received six stitches for the wound.
The time Bonogo spent in custody was also included in the one-year jail term.
Tracey Aisa of the Public Solicitor’s Office represents Bonogo while Public Prosecutor Myrella Cleven appeared for the Crown.
Three-tonne driver’s sentence today
THE driver of a three-tonne that hit and killed a man at the Tenaru Market last September will be sentenced today in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court.
Ralph Saea had previously pleaded guilty to one count of causing death by reckless or dangerous driving and one count of the presence of alcohol in a person’s blood.
His sentence was listed yesterday but Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison further adjourned the sentence to this morning.
Saea was charged in relation to the incident on 26 September 2020 at around 8.00 am at the Corona Market at Tenaru area in Guadalcanal.
The deceased who was the driver of the two-tonne truck was travelling in a westerly direction and then stopped in front of the market.
He parked the vehicle on the left side of the road and went out to buy betel-nut.
He then returned and stood in front of his truck when the three-tonne truck driven by the accused heading in the easterly direction, veered off into the opposite lane and hit him.
The deceased was transported to the National Referral Hospital but unfortunately died on the way.
Steven Weago from the Public Solicitor’s Office represents Saea while Public Prosecutor Nickson Tonowane is appearing for the Crown.
Summons served on duo
THE PROSECUTION has been ordered to serve a summon on two young people accused of breaching the curfew last April to appear in court on March 2.
John Anita and Gila Kiko are facing charges of restriction of movement under the State of Public Emergency (SOPE) regulation.
The duo did not attend court for some time now.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) has been previously ordered to prepare the summons and serve on the accused.
Public Prosecutor Geitaba Waletofea said the summons were already prepared and sent to the Police.
However, she said the Police are yet to give them an update as to whether they had already served the summons or not.
She then sought a 21 adjournment.
Waletofea appeared on instructions of her colleague Andrew Kelesi who is in carriage of this matter.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea having heard from the prosecution adjourned the matter to March 2.
He said this is to allow the prosecution to serve the summons on the two accused to appear in court on the next court date.
The two accused were caught by police a few minutes after the curfew time, between 8.15 pm and 8.30 pm walking along the road between King Solomon and Central Police Station area on 10 April 2020.
They have both pleaded guilty to the charge when they were first brought to the Honiara Magistrate’s Court last year.
Chief Magistrate Emma Garo however adjourned their matter to wait for the outcome of the trial conducted on the case of three other young men also accused of breaching the curfew on 10 April 2020 at Forest Valley, White River area in West Honiara.
Having handed her judgment on the matter last year on which she found the trio not guilty due to the issue of boundaries, she was then ready to deal with the case of these two accused.
She then made orders for the police and prosecution to summon the two accused to appear in court.
These two accused are part of the 63 people arrested on the two nights of curfew – April 10 and April 11 last year.
The government had issued the curfew to test its response capacity and help identify challenges faced during an actual lockdown in terms of COVID-19.
The curfew was enforced within the declared emergency zone from Poha River, West of Honiara to Alligator Creek in the east.
The maximum penalty for breaching the curfew is a fine of $10,000 or five years imprisonment or both.
A number of these accused were already dealt with by the courts while some are still before the courts.
Others had gone through trials and those who were found guilty were fined while others who were found not guilty were acquitted.
