Two Fijians Acquitted

Murder Trial

From Our Own Correspondent.

Suva, Oct. 2.

of the longest and most interesting murder trials heard in Fiji for some time was on the calendar of the last crim inal session of the Supreme Court, and resulted in a verdict of not guilty.

The case arose out of the death in hos pital of an old Fijian, Jiosevani Tuleca, after he had allegedly been but uraki’d, or turkey-trotted, on the wharf. The assault took place last January and. after long investigations, two men, Acura Lelekaria (represented by Mr. D. Warren) and Beni Makoto (represented by Messrs. S. and M.

Hasan), were first charged with man slaughter, and then with murder.

The hearing lasted eight days, and many inconsistencies in the evidence for the prosecution, conducted bv the Attorney- General (Mr. R. S. Thacker), and Mr. D.

R. McDonald, were made the most of by the defence, who did not call any evidence.

After lengthy addresses by counsel, His Honour the Chief Justice (Mr. O. C. K.

Corrie) summed up at some length, and the assessors returned a verdict of not guilty. They held that the identity of the accused had not bee;i established, and that the medical evidence that deceased died of pneumonia as a result of injuries had not been fully established.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cleveland, of Thursday Island, arrived in Sydney in September. They brought their motor car with them and intend making a tour of the Commonwealth until Christmas.