A 58-year-old retired military officer who was facing a murder charge has been found guilty of a lesser count of manslaughter by three assessors.

Wame Waqavanua was charged with one count of murder of a 23-year-old man in Raiwaqa in November, 2015.

He appeared before Justice Salesi Temo for his summing up of the two-week trial.

On November 23, 2015, Waqavanua allegedly murdered Watisoni Rokosawa, 23, in Raiwaqa, Suva, after Rokosawa allegedly broke into Waqavanua’s new vehicle on November 24 which was parked outside his house.

After two weeks of trial, the three assessors delivered their unanimous opinion of not guilty for murder however, they found the accused guilty for manslaughter charge.

The court heard that the accused had hit the deceased on his head which resulted in a serious injury and the deceased later died at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital the next day.

The case was adjourned to April 23 for judgement to be delivered by Justice Temo.

Edited by Susana Tuilau