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Solomone Taufeulungaki of Melbourne was stabbed to death on June 16. I was 15 years old.
Five teenagers accused of murdering 15-year-old Solomone Taufeulungaki in Australia were granted bail and told to follow strict conditions, including a curfew and a social media ban, in the two years before the trial.
Solomone, 15, was stabbed to death on June 16 in front of the Brimbank shopping center in Deer Park in West Melbourne.
Police have charged a total of eleven people with murder in his death, including nine children, aged 13 to 17, and two men, aged 20 and 23. The accused children cannot be named.
Supreme Court Justice Paul Coghlan granted bail to five of the children: two 13, one 14 and two 15 years old.
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Last week, Judge Coghlan said he was inclined to grant bail to the five children because of their young age, the expected delay before trial, and their good previous bonding.
The bond was set with a series of strict conditions.
Judge Coghlan warned the children that they should familiarize themselves with the rules, as they will likely have to abide by them for several years.
“This process is going to be relatively long and you will be in these conditions for about two years, but if you do not comply with the conditions, you will not remain free on bail,” he said.
“In particular, you must understand that you cannot associate with anyone else accused of this crime, with the exception of the group of siblings who may associate with each other.
Solomone Taufeulungaki was fatally stabbed outside a Melbourne shopping mall on June 16.
“That’s where the problems will come from. If you breach that condition of association, that will create problems and the police will not hesitate to take the matter back to court and potentially request the revocation of your bail and I could be left in a position where I do not have no choice but to revoke the bond, which they might think is quite undesirable under the circumstances. “
Children must reside at a designated address with a curfew and have been ordered to refrain from using alcohol or addiction drugs.
They are not allowed to leave the Australian state of Victoria and cannot contact or associate with prosecution witnesses, including those accused of the Solomone murder.
To address concerns about possible involvement of children in gang activity, Judge Coghlan established a bond condition that prohibits teens from gathering in groups of more than five unless it is for school or juvenile justice programs.
They are also not allowed to access social media, which Judge Coghlan recognized as a “difficult condition” but necessary in the circumstances.
Last week, the prosecution objected to bail, arguing that the group had not demonstrated exceptional circumstances to justify their release, although prosecutor Mark Gibson, SC, admitted they faced a considerable delay before trial.
Gibson also expressed concern that some of the children had previously violated bail, when they were charged with scuffle, by failing to comply with curfews and partnering with each other. A boy spent a night at his girlfriend’s house, the court heard.
Some of the accused boys were charged with skirmishing after Solomone’s death, but charges were raised to murder last month.
Judge Coghlan said last week that he was concerned that “gang activity” surrounded Solomone’s death.
He also said that a murder trial for 11 defendants could require a newly built courtroom.
The other four accused boys remain in juvenile detention.
