by Georgina Maka’a
“It’s not my intention to cause fear. I made a very stupid mistake.”
These were the words of 33-year-old Australian national Mathew Lewis Small during his appearance before the Honiara Magistrate Court today.
Mr. Small is currently facing a charge of threatening violence with a firearm following an incident in East Honiara that has drawn significant public attention over the weekend.
Magistrate Ricky Rongomea ordered Mr. Small to be remanded in custody for 14 days while police continue their investigation.
Police records state that the incident began late on September 4 and extended into the early hours of September 5, 2026. According to police, Mr. Small was driving a dark-tinted Toyota Land Cruiser along Vura 1 Road when the vehicle veered into a roadside drain.
Police allege that Mr. Small and his passenger, Joseph Barney Paulsen, appeared intoxicated when they exited the vehicle.
It is further alleged that Mr. Small pulled a pistol from a green handbag and pointed it at a local shop owner, Manjurul Islam.
However, Mr. Small offered a different account of the night during his court appearance. He denied any intention to threaten the public.
He claimed that after he left his vehicle, someone threw a rock at his windscreen.
“That is why I went into the shop with a replica firearm and questioned the shop owner who threw the rock,” Mr. Small told the court.
He insisted he returned to the scene only to look for a lost phone and stated that he did not resist when police arrived.
The court proceedings highlighted a conflict between the defendant’s account and police evidence. On September 6, police executed a search warrant at the Marine Apartments, where Mr. Small had been staying, and recovered a pistol.
A police statement released this afternoon confirmed that forensic testing determined the weapon was a real, operable firearm.
Investigators also reported finding a medium-sized axe, a kitchen knife, and a drug-smoking device inside the Toyota Land Cruiser.
Police state that Mr. Small admitted to using the device to smoke marijuana.
Magistrate Rongomea granted the request for a 14-day remand, citing the seriousness of the charges.
Police investigations remain ongoing, including the review of CCTV footage and the collection of witness statements.
Mr. Small is scheduled to reappear in court on September 21, 2026.
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