Yasause’s bail bid refused

A MAN facing a charge of wilful murder has again been denied bail by the Supreme Court.
It was not the first time the former director for the Office of Climate Change, Dr Theo Yasause, had asked the higher court for bail on the grounds that he was the sole parent in his family after his spouse passed away while he was on remand at Bomana and that his elder daughter was sickly.
His application was heard by a three-man bench of the Supreme Court last Friday.
The rejection of the bail application was based on sections of the Bail Act which said the offence Yasause was charged with consisted of a serious assault, a threat of violence and possession of a firearm. The judges said there was no exceptional circumstance to grant Yasause bail.
The three-man bench which heard his application consisted of Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika, judges David Cannings and Don Sawong.
They ruled there was no provision in the Bail Act to allow bail for a person charged with wilful murder.
Yasause is the prime suspect in the murder of former rugby league star, Aquilla Emil, earlier this year.
Last Tuesday at the National Court, public prosecutor Marriane Zurenuoc had asked for a month’s adjournment for both parties to file pre-trial statements, to which the court granted leave.