A 31-YEAR-OLD unemployed Vatuwaqa man on trial for manslaughter has denied kicking a man who later died, telling the High Court that he merely pushed him with his leg.
Koroi Seru is alleged to have assaulted a 32-year-old Javed Ali by kicking him on the chin during a drinking party in Vatuwaqa on January 1, 2025, causing his death.
Giving evidence as one of three defence witnesses, Mr Seru said he saw Ali inappropriately touching his 29-year-old younger brother.
He told the court this happened four times and that he eventually confronted Ali, telling him to stop because his brother was drunk and should not be hassled.
He said before touching his younger brother, Ali was moving around to all the boys in the room and touching them.
Mr Seru said his brother had his eyes closed and was looking down while the touching occurred, adding that he saw Ali speaking to his younger brother, who kept saying “yes, yes” while knocked out.
He further stated that Ali swore at him and spat on him during the confrontation. When Mr Seru stood up, a man known as ‘Dass’ stepped in front of him and held him back. Mr Seru said he then pushed Ali with his leg, denying that he kicked him.
A second defence witness, Viliame Cama, testified that Ali was hassling and pestering him before moving on to Mr Seru’s younger brother.
Mr Cama confirmed that Mr Seru told Ali to stop touching his younger brother, prompting Ali to swear at Mr Seru.
He told the court that when Mr Seru stood up, Dass held on to him, and Mr Seru then pushed Ali with his leg.
Under cross-examination by the State, Mr Seru was questioned on whether his younger brother was handicapped, to which he replied he was not and agreed that both his brother’s hands and legs were working.
When the State suggested that his brother was consenting to what Ali was doing since he kept saying “yes, yes”, Mr Seru maintained that he “knows his younger brother very well” and just wanted to protect him.
Mr Seru also admitted taking Ali to the hospital and telling a nurse that the victim had slipped in the bathroom.
He agreed that he had lied to the nurse, explaining that he and the others were in shock at the time.
Closing submissions in the trial before Acting Justice Waleen George have been adjourned to November 16.
