𝗥𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗳𝗲

𝘣𝘺 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘢’𝘢

Former national footballer Moffat Konofilia fronted a packed Magistrate’s Court in Honiara this morning, but his highly publicised sedition case was adjourned to Monday, 17 November.

The adjournment was to allow the court to address a question raised at this morning’s appearance as to whether Magistrate Tearo Beneteti should hear the case or recuse herself.

The court heard that, while Konofilia was in the United Kingdom, his wife sent a WhatsApp message to Magistrate Beneteti seeking an explanation of the discharge order previously issued in his case.

Magistrate Beneteti showed the whatsApp message in court but told the defence and prosecution she did not reply to it.

Konofilia’s lawyer, Lily Ramo of Just Lawyers, said she saw no issue with the messages and expressed no objection to Magistrate Beneteti presiding over the case.

However, Public Prosecutor Mary-Anne Zurenuoc, who raised the matter, said she needed to obtain instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions before stating their position.

Magistrate Beneteti therefore adjourned the case until Monday, and remanded Konofilia in police custody.

She also reminded Konofilia’s relatives and supporters to allow the court to deal with the case according to the law.

Konofilia, 48, faces two criminal charges — sedition, contrary to section 3(1)(i) of the Sedition Act, and taking part in an unlawful assembly, contrary to section 74 of the Penal Code.

The charges relate to the November 2021 riots in Honiara, which broke out after calls by a group of Malaitans for then Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to step down went unheeded.

Konofilia was among several Malaitans charged by police in connection with the riots, which saw widespread burning and looting of business houses in Honiara.

While his case was before the Honiara Magistrate’s Court, his lawyer asked the court to review Konofilia’s bail conditions to allow him to travel to the United Kingdom on a sport-related trip.

The court granted the request, allowing Konofilia to travel on condition that he return for his next court appearance.

Police said that during a 2022 bail review hearing, Konofilia provided an address in the United Kingdom that was later found to be false.

“He was actually misleading the court,” police said.

It is understood that upon arrival in the United Kingdom, Konofilia sought asylum status from the UK Government, claiming he was politically persecuted in his home country.

However, while awaiting the outcome of his asylum application, UK police arrested and charged him with sexually assaulting a teenage girl.

According to UK media reports, he was living on the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland, Dorset, when he committed the assault in nearby Weymouth on 15 December 2023.

Konofilia denied the charge but was found guilty following a trial.

He, however, avoided a jail sentence after pleading for leniency, telling the court he needed to support his wife and children.

He also thanked the UK Government for “looking after me” and said he was a good citizen, UK media reported.

Konofilia returned home on 28 October 2025 after the case and was re-arrested and remanded in police custody a day later in Honiara.

His lawyer is expected to seek bail in the next hearing.