13 Nov 2003

Associate of Solomons militant leader, Harold Keke, charged with murder and abduction

11:40 am on 13 November 2003

Another senior colleague of former Solomon Island militant leader Harold Keke has appeared in a Honiara court after being arrested by police on Monday.

Steve Peter, regarded by some as Keke's right-hand man during the rebel leader's reign of terror on the Weather Coast, was charged with two counts of murder, five counts of abduction and one count of being a member of an unlawful society.

Peter appeared in court with a broken arm and a dislocated leg after he was allegedly assaulted by local residents at Visale in western Guadacanal for trying to cause trouble in the area.

The residents then handed him over to police from the Regional Assistance Mission.

Peter was remanded for 14 days and will reappear in court on November the 25th.