Police arrest suspect in relation to murder in east Honiara

Officers of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) at Naha Police Station have arrested a 23-year-old male suspect in relation to the murder in east Honiara on 18 June 2021.

Supervising Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Honiara City, Superintendent John Matamaru says the suspect was arrested around 6pm on 18 June 2021 at west Kola ridge.

Superintendent Matamaru says that the arrest was successfully done after investigators talked with the suspect. Police picked the suspect at his house, formally arrest, and place in police custody.

The suspect has been charged for murder contrary to section 200 of the penal code. The suspect has remanded at the Rove Correctional Center on 19 June 2021. He will appear before the Honiara Central Magistrates’ Court on 2 July 2021.

An initial report says that early in the morning about 3am on Saturday 12 June 2021, an argument over a mobile phone broke out between the deceased and the suspect at Kukum area.

The deceased was among five others who stole a mobile phone from the suspect and his cousin brother. It was during that time a fight broke out between them.

The deceased and his group attacked the suspect and fell on the ground since he was out numbered. The suspect stood up and continued to fight the deceased and his group. It was alleged at that time the suspect punched the deceased head, and he fell on the road unconsciously. The suspect escaped while the deceased group chased him.

The deceased later assisted by his friends back to Bua valley area after the incident, and they left him at a market stall with injuries at the back of his head. The deceased friends asked him to eat and go to the hospital for a medical treatment, but he refused.

About 1pm on 14 June 2021, the deceased was rushed to the National Referral Hospital and was pronounced death.