BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
Five individuals alleged to have involved in a gang rape will appear again at the High Court on April 29.
Their case was mentioned in court for pre-trial conference but since counsels in carriage of the case needed to sort out PTC documents, Justice Maelyn Bird adjourned the case to April 29.
This is in relation to the case against two juveniles and three adults who allegedly ganged up to rape a 13-year-old girl at a village in Weather-coast, south Guadalcanal in 2017.
The two juvenile males aged 16 and 17 are facing charges of rape and defilement while Benard Suia, 26, Thomas Ini, 24 and Joana Tatehando, 25, are facing one count each of procuration.
The allegation said the three adults assisted the juveniles to rape the 13-year-old girl on September 29, 2017 under an incomplete house at Haimarao area.
The victim had been cared for by her father after her mother died when she was very young at another village in Weathercoast.
From what prosecution gathered it says that the girl lived with her cousin sister at another village when the incident occurred.
Prosecution alleged on the day of the alleged incident at about 8pm, the female accused Joan Tatehando, sought the permission of the girl’s cousin sister for her to spend the night at her house.
Arriving at Joanna’s house, the prosecution alleged that all the other accused were there sitting at the house.
Prosecution then alleged the three adults forced the girl to have sexual intercourse with the two juveniles, who went and waited under an incomplete house, 19 metres away from Joana’s house.
The girl refused but Thomas allegedly pulled her to the incomplete house.
It was then alleged the two juveniles pulled her under the house and repeatedly raped her, before leaving her there.
Prosecution further alleged that while the rape took place, the three adults were sitting at the veranda of Joana’s house fully aware of the rape taking place.
Margaret Suifaasia of the Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown on the matter.
