RSIPF charges three suspects with murder following the death of a teacher in central Honiara

Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) at the Central Police Station in Honiara City have arrested and charged three suspects with murder following the death of teacher after an incident in the Bahai area of Central Honiara at 12-midnight last Friday 26 March 2021.

Supervising Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Honiara City Superintendent John Matamaru says, “The third suspect was arrested on Wednesday 31 March 2021 in Honiara and was placed in the cell at the Central Police Station watch house. Two other suspects were arrested earlier.”

All three suspects have been charged with one count each for the offence of murder contrary to section 200 of the Penal Code and have been remanded at the Rove Correctional Center to appear in the Honiara Central Magistrates’ court at a later date.

Initial reports say the deceased had some beer with his cousin brother at the Scorpion Bar in the Bahai area and left to walk home at about 11 pm on 26 March 2021.

The reports say the deceased was closely monitored by one of the suspects near the Barak Shop in the Bahai area. The first suspect then met two other suspects and they followed the deceased as he walked along the road in the Bahai area.

PPC Matamaru explains, “It is alleged that the suspects then approached the deceased and asked him for money but the deceased said he had no money. It is alleged that the suspects then attacked the deceased and as a result he fell to the ground and sustained injuries on the back of his head.”

The deceased was later transported to National Referral Hospital by St Johns Ambulance between 9- 11am on 26 March 2021) and admitted at the National Referral Hospital. He however died on 28 March 2021.

PPC Matamaru adds, “I call on people in the Bahai area in Central Honiara who may have witnessed this sad incident to come forward to officers at the Central Police Station in Honiara City with whatever information they may have.”

“I further call on families of the deceased and the suspects from taking the law into their own hands and allow the police to deal with the matter.”

“I also urge members of the public to contact the necessary authorities including police and ambulance when you see someone lying down helpless on the road like that happened to the deceased in this matter. Let us have the spirit of caring for one another,” says PPC Matamaru