TRIAL for men charged with having attacked two Asian men outside the Bank South Pacific has been set for the first and second week of May.

Yesterday, Prosecution and defence lawyers agreed that the trial be heard in the month of May in the first two weeks.

The pre-trial conference was conducted before Principal Magistrate Tearo Beneteti, the prosecution said that all of their witnesses are all in Honiara and there will be no problem in regards to their availability.

Before the trial proper resumes, a voir dire will be conducted as all the accused challenged their record of interview.

Meanwhile the defence lawyer for the accused Rurai also applied for bail variation on behalf of his client to allow him to travel to his home province in Malaita on Friday and return on the following week.

Without objection from the Prosecution the court granted the bail variation and ordered that the accused will travel to Auki and will report at the Auki police station on Monday before he comes back to Honiara.

The case is adjourned to March 28 for mention.

This is in relation to the case against Richard Rurai, Ramo Stanley, Farobo Ben, Faiga Junior David and Nathaniel Junior Erick are charged in relation to the incident which occurred early last year outside the BSP bank in Central Honiara.

Police alleged that the four accused were masked and armed with a knife when they attacked two Asian men as they were about to enter the BSP bank.

One of the Asian businessmen was struck with a knife and also shot from sling, the court was told.

Police said Rurai admitted in his interview that he, Eric, Faiga and Ramo had planned the robbery.

Police said he admitted having several meetings with the other accused days before the robbery and that they shared some of the money.

Police said only $200,000 has been recovered.