A preliminary trial date was set for September 23, in the matter of a man accused of killing an elderly citizen of Golden Spring, St Andrew in 2004.

Allegations are that Damion Roberts, the accused, had an argument with a relative of 78-year-old Ansel Dennie, the deceased, on June 6, 2004 in Golden Spring. Roberts, who was at the gate leading to the home of the deceased at one point in the argument, was asked by Dennie to go elsewhere.

However, an irate Roberts would not heed the instructions and instead threw a rock at Dennie, which hit him in the head. He died on June 9, 2004, three days after being hit.

According to the police, Roberts had been on the run since the incident. However, Dennie's son apprehended the accused in June after seeing him in downtown Kingston, and handed him over to the police.

When Roberts appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, his attorney argued that the findings of the post mortem did not point to the deceased being hit by the rock thrown by his client as the cause of death.

He also continued that his client did not report the incident to the police out of fear.

Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown set a September 23, preliminary trial date in the matter.