Decision for Samuel, Hera set for October

MORESBY North West MP Lohia Boe Samuel and his co-accused Fabian Hera will know whether they will be committed to stand trial or not on Oct 25.
Samuel and Hera made their submissions against their wilful murder charges yesterday through their lawyers Edward Sasingian and Fredrick Kirriwom.
Waigani committal court magistrate Paul Puri Nii told Samuel and Hera that their ruling would be on Oct 25.
“I will make a decision whether there is sufficient or insufficient evidence to commit you both for a trial or not, on Oct 25,” Nii said.
Sasingian, who represented Samuel, submitted that his client did not bring in the pistol as it was brought into the restaurant by his public relations officer Hera.
It was also submitted that there was no direct police evidence provided by the prosecution that had relevance to Samuel allegedly shooting the deceased.
It was further submitted that all the nine witnesses did not see what happened that caused the death, they only heard the gunshot.
Sasingian submitted that all the witnesses statements mentioned that “Fabian why did you do that?” but they did not hear Hera arguing back when Samuel called out to him after the deceased was shot.
It was also submitted that the witness statements portrayed there was inconsistency in the sitting arrangements as illustrated in the different sketches in the police file and also inconsistency in the movement of the defendants.
It was also submitted that the court consider to dismiss the case against Samuel due to lack of evidence and the defendant Hera to be committed to trial.
Kirriwom representing Hera submitted that the summary of fact was what the prosecution alleged but the evidence provided in the police file did not support.
The prosecution had established a prima facie case but it was up to the court to decide.