Fugitive’s case conducted in closed court
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
A CLOSED court eight-month trial of former fugitive and high profile murder accused Edmond Sae ended in the High Court this month.
Accused of gunning down former police commissioner Sir Fredrick Soaki in 2003, Sae has evaded arrest for over 12 years until in 2015 when police caught up with him one night in his village in the highlands of Malaita.
He was charged with two counts of murder, one count of escaping from police custody, one count of attempted murder, and two counts of purchasing, acquiring and possession of firearm and ammunition without licence.
The trial, which was closed to the media and public, started on 9 February before Justice John Brown.
It continued on throughout the year except during the months of the Court of Appeal sittings and few other times when counsels were not available.
The prosecution had called a number of witnesses while the defence only called one witness.
Both the prosecution and the defence will this morning present their closing submissions.
Court authorities decided to conduct the trial in closed court due to fears expressed by prosecution witnesses.
Director of Public Prosecution Ronald Bei Talasasa had stated that the law also provides for that alternative ways of testifying in court.
The charge of escaping from police custody relates to Sae’s escape from Rove police custody on 22 April 2003.
One of the murder charges and the attempted murder relates to an allegation on 30 April 2003 at Auki Police Station where Sae allegedly shot dead a man who is being kept in police custody and injuring the other.
Sae, a former police officer, allegedly committed those offences shortly after he escaped from police custody after his initial arrest for the murder of Sir Fredrick.
Sae was accused of gunning down former police commissioner Sir Frederick Soaki on 10 February 2003 at Auki Motel in Auki, Malaita.
Sir Fredrick was attending a workshop with other participants at Auki on the demobilisation program for special constables.
The workshop was organised by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office.
Howard Lawry and Ben Alasia of Public Solicitor’s office represent Sae while the Director of Public Prosecution Ronald Bei Talasasa and his counsel Margaret Suifa’asia are prosecuting.
