Fitness to plead questions raised ahead of Stanislous Tipungwuti murder trial
A man who allegedly beat an older man to death during a fight over funeral arrangements may not be able to make a plea over the murder charge.
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A man who allegedly bludgeoned and then stabbed a man in an argument over funeral rights has claimed he was mentally incapable of being found guilty.
Lawyers representing Stanislous Tipungwuti appeared before Justice Judith Kelly on Tuesday ahead of an anticipated Supreme Court murder trial.
Police have alleged Mr Tipungwuti and a 42-year-old Tiwi Islands man were staying at a Malak home in November 2021 when they started arguing over ceremonial arrangements for an extended family member’s funeral.
It is alleged the dispute turned violent and the then 28-year-old man used a blunt object to repeatedly beat the older man.
When the weapon snapped, Mr Tipungwuti allegedly used the jagged edge to stab his victim in the abdomen.
Justice Kelly heard that questions over Mr Tipungwuti’s fitness to plead and mental impairment had been repeatedly raised by defence counsel.
In the Territory a person can be found not guilty if they have a mental impairment which means they are unable to understand the nature of the charge, how a trial operates, the evidence presented or are unable to give instructions to their lawyer.
Defence barrister Ambrith Abayasekara asked for a four week adjournment for a further pre-trial hearing on March 5.
Territorians with severe mental health issues can still be indefinitely locked up in prison despite being found not guilty.
As of January 8 Corrections had 15 people in prison facing indefinite stints in prison due to their mental health conditions.
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Originally published as Fitness to plead questions raised ahead of Stanislous Tipungwuti murder trial
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