By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
The Magistrate’s Court has adjourned the ruling on a “no case to answer” submission in the case of two men charged over an armed robbery at the new complex of the University of the South Pacific (USP) in East Honiara in 2022.
Eddie Maki, 30, and Chris Yambeyabbi, 37, a West Papuan national, are jointly charged with one count of armed robbery.
Yambeyabbi also faces an additional charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The defence made its “no case to answer” submission in court after the prosecution closed its case, arguing that the evidence presented was insufficient to support the charges.
The court had initially listed on Friday for its ruling on the submission.
However, the matter has been further adjourned, and the ruling will now be handed down on Monday next week.
During the trial, the prosecution called one witness in relation to the armed robbery charge and two police officers as witnesses for the possession of firearm and ammunition charge.
The two defendants are alleged to have committed the armed robbery on 23 December 2022 at the engineering department office of China Harbour Engineering Company in the KG VI area.
The prosecution alleges that Maki was armed with an axe, while Yambeyabbi carried a home-made pistol when they entered the office, threatened the managing director, and escaped with items valued at $11,000.
Yambeyabbi was later arrested on 10 January 2023, and police allegedly discovered the home-made firearm and materials used to manufacture firearms.
Ron Dickey Pulekera and Alice Silas from the Public Solicitor’s Office represent the duo, while Public Prosecutor Jeremy Oiofa appears for the Crown.
