BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
MALAITA Provincial Magistrate Court and the Provincial Prosecution office has heard a total of eight criminal cases on Luaniua and Pelau during a court circuit route to the Malaita Outer Islands (MOI) last week.
First Class Magistrate, currently looking after the Auki Provincial Magistrate, Ishmael Kekou confirmed this to Island Sun upon returning from the circuit to Auki over the weekend.
He said a team from the Auki Provincial Magistrate, consisting of magistrate and his clerk, public solicitor and police prosecution were part of a team from the ministry of health (MHMS) deployed to MOI for the covid-19 vaccination roll-out program.
Kekou said the government funded the trip and they are happy to be given the opportunity to bring the court circuit service to the people of MOI as they only receive it seldomly.
He said the team heard five cases on Luaniua and the other three cases on Pelau. He thanked the Pelau police for preparing the cases.
Kekou said for the five cases on Luaniua; two people pleaded guilty for common assault and intimidation and they were sentence to three months imprisonment.
Adding that another two people were taken over to Auki and remanded as court will deal with them for burglary and assault and the fifth case was a physical assault who is waiting for trial during the next circuit.
Kekou said for the three cases on Pelau; one person was charged for common assault who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight months imprisonment.
The other two are charged with indecent act and malicious damage of property and are waiting their trial during the next court circuit.
He said Sikaiana reported no case and no case hearing was conducted, thus, the team provided the community with an awareness program especially on the work/role of the magistrate, DPP and related information.
Kekou said they will have the final court circuit for MOI prior to December 2021, but confirmation on a date is yet to be done.
