BY ROMINAH FAKA
The case against a 51-year-old man who is charged with sexual intercourse to a child under age of 15, namely five years old faces court for plea tomorrow, July 11.
In the previous hearing the duty prosecutor informed the court that investigation is complete. However, the only outstanding document left to obtain is the photo album from the forensic office.
The presiding magistrate then directed the prosecutor to obtain the outstanding documents from the police investigator and serve the full disclosures to defence before July 11.
Court adjourned to tomorrow for plea and election of form of Preliminary Inquiry (PI).
The accused who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity is charged with one count of sexual intercourse with child under age of 15.
The victim in this case is a five-year-old girl.
The allegation alleged that on May 17, 2024 around 4.30pm the victim was playing outside of their house at Burn Creeks.
While she was playing the suspect called her to go to him in his house.
The suspect was their close neighbour and while he was calling the victim, he also told her that he would give her a packet of twisty.
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 had sexual actions on the child.
It was alleged that during the course of the sexual activity, the victim’s mother was in their house and realised that her daughter was missing so she went out looking for her.
She called the victim but she did not answer. She then came to the place where the victim was playing and found that 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 she asked her daughter what the suspect did to her and the victim told her mother.
On May 20, 2024 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 later located by police on June 4 at White River and was formally arrested.
Officer of Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) appears for crown and PSO appears for suspect.
