29 Aug 2005

Court hears from accused members of Solomons assistance mission

12:21 pm on 29 August 2005

The trial of police belonging to the Regional Assistance mission in Solomon Islands is beginning its second week with defence lawyers expected to call the last of eight witnesses.

A Honiara man, John Makasi, accuses RAMSI police officers of breaching his constitutional rights.

The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports that the court has heard from Australian police officer Marcus Boorman, who Mr Makasi says forced him to urinate in front of him during interrogation.

Mr Boorman told the court that Mr Makasi had been brought in for questioning at the Guadalcanal Beach Resort, and told him that he could use the bush since there was no toilet in the area.

Mr Boorman said Mr Makasi was about five metres away from where he was standing, and he was not facing him nor other officers who were there.

Mr Makasi broke down in court last week when he spoke about the humiliation he said he had suffered.

Assistance mission police took Mr Makasi for questioning as part of their investigations into the murder of the Australian Federal Police officer Adam Dunning in December last year.

The case continues.