Witness Claims Accused Said Goliath Was Down

State witness Viliame Suluna told the court that Navua accused Fabiano Dakai on the morning of the alleged  murder of a security officer in 2019 had informed him that Goliath was down.

Dakai is charged for the murder of 34-year-old Timoci Dogai on February 4, 2019, at Waidradra, Navua.

The trial is presided by Judge Justice Daniel Goundar while the state is represented by counsels Kimberly Semisi and Juleen Fatiaki from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The state informed the court that they were calling nine civilian witnesses and the pathologist who conducted the post mortem of the deceased.

Ms Semisi told the court that the accused was alleged to have engaged in conduct that cause the death of the deceased.

She said Dakai entered the Energy Fiji Limited power station where the deceased was a security officer and was asleep.

She said the accused allegedly hit the deceased with an ax twice on the deceased’s left side of his head which cause the deceased’s death.

She further told the court that the accused had disposed of the ax in a nearby pond

Dakai is represented by counsels Namrata Mishra and Krisheel Cheng from the Legal Aid Commission.

Ms Mishra told the court that she was calling the accused’s family of two civilian witnesses and two psychiatrists.

She further told the court that the defence maintained its position on relying on the mental impairment of the accused.

Trial Day 1:

Prosecution witness Mr Suluna testified in court that at 7am the day of the incident at he met Dakai who said to him that Goliath was down.

He said Dakai had informed him that he had returned back from a battle and was on his way to attend his court hearing.

Mr Suluna informed the court that while Dakai was leaving, he turned around and said to him that “Goliath was down” before he continued to walk away.

Trial Day 2:

Prosecution witness Jovilisi Matanisiga took the stand and testified in court that in November 2018, he met Dakai and they were smoking when the deceased walked past them.

He said the deceased told them he was going to work.

He further told the court that Dakai told him that person referring to the deceased “was doing things in an overly manner and one day, I am going to kill him”.

Mr Matanisiga said Dakai mentioned a proverb from the Bible about David and Goliath and that Goliath was about to be defeated.

He further testified that he told Dakai it was not a good thing.

He further told the court that Dakai and the deceased’s relationship was good but in 2017, they became enemies.

He said Dakai had informed him of a letter he obtained from the deceased which contained names, date of birth, and date of death of two people.

Mr Matanisiga told the court that Dakai also informed him that one day, he saw the letter in front of the deceased while he was mixing yaqona and speaking something.

He testified that Dakai obtained the letter and took it to a woman named Ola for prayers.

He further said that Dakai told him that the deceased was practicing witchcraft.

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