15 Feb 2005

Solomons prosecutors still hunting Keke trial witnesses

9:12 am on 15 February 2005

The crown prosecutor in the murder trial of the former Solomon Islands militant Harold Keke, is yet to find four witnesses summoned before the trial began.

The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports Rob Barry as saying he's yet to apply for a warrant of arrest to apprehend the four witnesses.

He earlier told the court that these four witnesses were present at Haliatu village on the day the cabinet minister Father Augustine Geve was murdered; August 20th, 2002.

The High Court in Honiara is due to restart the trial of Keke and his two associates this morning because a lawyer representing one of the accused was sick yesterday.

The former Guadalcanal rebel leader, Keke and his two associates Ronnie Cawa and Francis Lela have been charged with the murder of the Father Geve.

All three have pleaded not guilty to murder.