BY ROMINAH FAKA
The case against a 51-year-old man who allegedly raped a five-year-old girl will come back to court on July 25 for plea and possible committal hearing.
Prosecution on Thursday this week, made an application in court under section 201 of the Criminal Procedural Code (CPC) to substitute the initial charge of sexual intercourse to rape charge against the accused.
The presiding Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea granted the substituted charge.
Defence sought 14 days adjournment to look through the substituted charge and obtain instructions from the accused for plea.
The accused who name cannot be named to protect the allege victim’s identity is charged with one count of rape on a child under age of 15.
The victim in this case is a five-year-old girl.
The allegation said on May 17, 2024 around 4.30pm the victim was playing outside their house at Burn Creek, east Honiara.
While she was playing the suspect called her to go to him in his house.
The suspect was their close neighbour and while calling the victim he also told her that he would give her a packet of twisties.
The victim then went to the suspect and he took her into his house.
It was further alleged the suspect removed his clothes and the victim’s clothes and did sexual actions on the child.
It was alleged that during the course of sexual activity, the victim’s mother who was in their house realised that her daughter was missing so she went out looking for her.
She called the victim but she did not answered. She then came to the place where the victim was playing but she was not there so she walked towards the suspect’s house which was beside the place her daughter was playing.
As she was approached the house of the suspect, she heard a noise inside the house so she peeped through a window and saw the suspect half naked and her daughter standing naked in front of him.
The mother was angry and shouted saying “[Suspect] what have you done to my daughter, my husband and I we always help you and your family, why did you do such thing to my daughter”.
The victim’s mother walked into the house and took the victim outside and walked away.
Later the mother took the victim to one of their relatives and asked her daughter what the suspect did to her and the victim told her mother.
On May 20 the victim was assisted by her mother to Sexual Assault Squad and reported the matter to the police.
The suspect escaped to an unknown location, but was later located by police on June 4 at White River and was formally arrested.
Herrick Lautola appears for crown and Delilah Kukura appears for suspect.
