BY MELVILLE TITIULU
The case against a man accused of stealing gold from the Gold Ridge has been adjourned for Friday, February 20 for sentencing.
The Magistrate Court yesterday heard oral submissions from both Prosecution and Defence counsel on the matter of Aron Loke, 33, accused of stealing 32.5 grammes of carbon gold valued at $28,000.
Mr Loke, from Haimane village, Tina area, Central Guadalcanal was charged with one count of housebreaking and committing felony contrary to section 300 (a) of the Penal code. This was in relation to an incident that took place on October 11, 2025.
The complainant in this matter is Gold Ridge Mining limited.
Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison heard aggravating and mitigating factors presented by both legal counsels in the form of written submissions tendered in court. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.
The matter was adjourned for Friday, February 20 for sentencing judgement.
This will allow ample time for Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison to weigh mitigating and aggravating features as tendered, in reaching a ruling on the sentencing range for the defendant.
Bail for Mr Loke was also extended.
The circumstances surrounding the case as alleged by virtue of the agreed facts was that; on the 11th of October, 2025 at about 1:35 am, Loke with a group of boys broke into one of Gold Ridge Mining compounds called Acom Base.
The defendant and the group of boys then broke into a storage container using a bolt cutter and an ark saw.
Loke and the group of boys allegedly removed eight bags stored inside the container and fled. The bags contained gold carbon.
The defendant and the group of boys loaded the eight bags onto a Hilux at the car wash area in the Acom base.
The black Hilux drove out from the Acom base and it was reportedly driven by a PRT officer, and with him, was another officer.
Later the defendant and the group of boys met with the PRT officers, somewhere at the oil palm plantation and they shared the eight bags among them.
The defendant allegedly received a bag of carbon gold.
The bags are 40kg each and the value of gold is valued at $1,000 per gramme.
The defendant cleaned and sold 32.5g of gold to a buyer at Henderson for $28,000.
The matter was then reported to Henderson Police and the defendant was charged.
The $28,000 was not recovered by police because the defendant had already spent it. Hence, the defendant returned half of the bag to the police upon his arrest.
Yesterday, Prosecution was asked by Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison if the sentencing range of 14 years was appropriate given the seriousness of the matter – to which Prosecution agreed.
Defence opted for a custodial sentence subject to court’s discretion.
Defence said the offence came about as a result of disagreements with locals and the Gold Ridge Mining limited. And, since the offence was carried out by a group of boys and two unidentified police officers warrants a lesser sentence.
Defense was not sure if the police officers implicated were identified and suspended.
Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison, then, pointed out that any suspect implicated in the commission of the offence would only be prosecuted and charged for the same offence subject to separate criminal investigation and fresh evidence.
Franssica Luza from the office of the Director of Prosecution represented Gold Ridge Mining limited. Defence Counsel Wally Hatingonga from Public Solicitors Office appears for the Defense.
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