FOUR MEN CHARGED WITH ‘ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT’

The Magistrate’s Court of Solomon Islands. Photo credit: SIBC.

Four men from the Weather Coast of South Guadalcanal are standing trial at the Central Magistrate’s Court for allegedly knowing that prisoner escapee Gedly Isa, was a convicted murderer.

The men are charged with accessory after the fact.

This means they know Isa Gedly was a convicted murderer after he ran away from the Rove Correctional Centre in 2012 where he was serving his lifetime sentence.

According to the Police prosecution’s opening statement today,the defendants were with Mr Isa in the early hours of 27th October 2013 at Duidui village when Police mounted an operation to arrest him.

The prosecution told the Court the defendants when they became aware of Police presence, ran into the village shouting that the police are there.

The noise they made from their shouting obstructed the Police operation to arrest Isa.

He escaped.

The first witness for the Prosecution took the stand this morning.

The trial is expected to last a week.