A 64-year-old man alleged of raping his 11-year-old granddaughter will update the court on whether or not he has already secured a lawyer.
On the last occasion the accused said he had already made request for a lawyer and is yet to secure one to represent him with his charges.
The grandfather who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim is facing three counts of rape under the Sexual offence amendment Act.
Police alleged that the 64-year-old man allegedly raped his 11-year-old grand-daughter on several separate occasions at different locations in the West Maringe District of Isabel
The incident was reported to Buala Police in which the old-man was arrested and charged for allegedly raping his granddaughter at Tirotue Settlement and Ghozoruru in the Hovikoilo Ward on different dates between December 31, 2015 and February 7, 2018.
The prosecution alleges that the old man and the girl were from the same village.
Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown.
Prof Marasinghe shaking hands with Prof Loius Barrows after the signing of the MOU
BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
Prof Marasinghe shaking hands with Prof Loius Barrows after the signing of the MOU
SOLOMON Islands National University and University of Utah from the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding yesterday.
SINU and University of Utah (UU) are eyeing establishing a cooperative research relationship through mutual interests in the areas of researching biodiversity of the Solomon Islands and to enhance the academic and cultural exchange between the two institutions.
UU and SINU each has a mandate to undertake scientific research with the objective of promoting use of scientific research and achievement of high standards of education and research.
Cooperation between the parties will greatly increase benefits to each respective institution’s research and further benefit scientific research in the Solomon Islands, the State of Utah, the United States of America, and the world.
SINU has an interest in developing research capabilities in natural products research and drug development towards sustainable use and management of SI’s biodiversity.
UU has capabilities and expertise in a broad range of advanced technologies and capabilities in the field of natural products research and drug discovery.
UU and SI researchers wish to access the genetic material of the biodiversity of SI for purposes of basic scientific research related to drug discovery, biodiversity sciences, and climate change.
Both universities wish to promote relationship among scientists and scientific institutions in the SI and the US.
It is purposely improve education and infrastructure in SI in scientific research and biodiversity prospecting, and create opportunities for conservation of SI’s biodiversity.
In addition the MOU look at sustainable development of country’s natural resources, and encourage commercial development of the results of these efforts.
Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Basil Marasinghe said, “This MOU will benefit two universities, and in particular our staff undertaking postgraduate studies in the field of biodiversity, bioprospecting, environment, and biological research.”
Professor Louis Barrows from University UTAH arrived in Honiara on Sunday with a copy of the MOU signed by the President of UUTAH.
Professor Basil Marasinghe, Acting Vice Chancellor of SINU signed yesterday while Prof Barrows and Professor Prem Rai (SINU) signed as witnesses.
FORMER MPA for Ward 12 at Northwest Choiseul and current media coordinator for Christ the King Parish at Voruvoru Mr Nerio Ulemiki calls on their people to buy radios purposely for getting right information’s.
Mr Ulemiki expressed coming across their people so many times being in panic situations unnecessarily such as during a bad weather because of being told with lies.
“I always rectify many of our people’s matters of concerns by disseminating right information’s to them. All these doing are because of lack of portable radios to receive news,” said Mr Ulemiki.
He stated that the radio is the most valuable instrument in receiving important information’s that saves lives and educate human beings in all aspects of life.
“Therefore I call on the people of Northwest Choiseul to buy radios as I also appeal to donors to donate small portable radios to communities in Northwest Choiseul,” said Mr Ulemiki.
THE Malaita provincial health and education sectors combined to work on a healthy promoting schools concept for schools in the province.
In an interview, health promotion officer at Kilu’ufi, Mrs Nester Rara Houmola said coming up with the idea, the two bodies established a working network to pursue the initiative.
She said a committee was formed and its responsibility is to ensure the link is there and programme under the concept to be implemented.
Houmola said under the HPS concept, they are targeting six key factors as main areas to work on in schools.
“They include school health policy, school physical environment, school social environment, community link, action competencies for healthy living and school health care and promotional services.
“The mentioned key areas are just brief, however there are lot of health related areas in school captured under the key areas,” she said.
Houmola said as the programme will implement, other related areas explore will consider in the concept.
She said the Health Promoting School concept is an idea taken to ensure all schools in Malaita Province to be fully health promotional schools.
(Left to Right) Calisto Oiofa and Hubert Lovi staffs in charge of the school fees scheme.
BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO
(Left to Right) Calisto Oiofa and Hubert Lovi staffs in charge of the school fees scheme.
A Go-money scheme for school fees was clarified to this paper yesterday by the Value Chain team leader Hubert Lovi.
He revealed that the initiative was set in place due to school fees being regarded as the biggest yearly expense in the Solomon Islands.
Mr Lovi said this creativity was developed to assist parents who are located in rural areas in terms of reducing some of their costs associated with paying of school fees, save time, money and efforts and options of installment paying.
Also there is no need to take time off at work, payment can be done anytime anywhere and prevent late fee payment and lessen the standing queue issue at the banks.
He explained the pilot processes are parents will be issued a unique student ID by school and they will pay via mobile phones.
After that parents are required to enter unique student ID in Invoice number field amounts and complete transaction using MSPIN which means parents dial *269# and select Pay Bill option and from the list of billers parents will be given options to select their school’s name.
“From then Supervisor logs in to internet banking checks account statement referencing unique student ID which will be resulted parents to receive SMS on mobile phone and then he /she will forwards SMS to a pre-designated mobile number of supervisors at school and they ( school) will give the physical receipt to students.
“These processes can be done through using ANZ goMoney which is the mobile banking platform of the ANZ bank,” he said.
Lovi said the programme has been piloted in two of the schools within the capital, King George Sixth School and St Nicholas College, and a dialogue to have it piloted on schools under the Honiara City Council is still underway.
The scheme was designed through the partnership of Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) Bank and the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP).
POLICE at Munda in Western Province have arrested two men aged 43 and 38 alleged to have committed sexual offences at Rendova Island, on separate dates, April 5-6, 2018.
It is alleged between the months of November 2017 to April 2018, the 43-year-old accused had sexually abused her 17-year-old daughter and on March 31, 2018, the other accused, of 38-year-old, had sexually abused her 13-year-old niece. Both alleged incidents happen on two different villages at Rendova Island.
Munda Police Officer Commanding Station (OCS), Sergeant Rachel Lilo says, “I am pleased with the support provided to my officers by members of the community including their crime prevention committee (CPC) at Rendova Island which resulted to the successful arrests of the two accused.
“This is encouraging to see members in our communities are coming forward to police and report these alleged hidden family related sexual offences.
“I condemn these two alleged sexual reports against the two young females, which the acts must not be tolerated in our communities.
“Polis blo iu-your police, is there to investigate any alleged crime and is willing to work together with you to foster a crime free environment for our children’s future. We must all work together to say no to violence against our young girls, especially of alleged sexual nature.”
Both men have been taken to Gizo Magistrate Court on charges of rape and incest and ordered for their remand in custody.
Nearby communities of Munda Police Station can contact phone number 62114 to report any crime.
POLICE officers in Munda, Western province are investigating an incident that happened in Munda airport where one of the Twin Otter plane’s tyres was allegedly flattened by a man on April 7, 2018.
“The incident occurred at the Munda airport. A case has been reported and a suspect has been identified and investigation is ongoing,” say Officer Commanding Station (OCS) for Munda Police Station Sergeant Rachel Lilo.
“I appeal to those leaving in and around Munda Airport to come forward and assist Police in our investigations for more information regarding the alleged incident.
“Munda Police can be contacted on phone 62189 or the Police Communications on Phone 23666 or dial toll free number 999.”
POLICE in Kirakira in the Makira-Ulawa province have arrested four youths following an alleged unlawful damage incident at Ulahu village, Ugi Island on April 3, 2018.
“It was alleged that a group of drunken youth damaged two tents that are used as temporary classrooms for students at Ulahu Extension School,” says Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Makira Ulawa Province, Superintendent Peter Sitai.
“These four young Men are arrested and charged on April 4, 2018 and are bailed to appear before the Court in May 2018.
“I want to thank the community of Ulahu village and other communities around Ugi Island for your assistance in leading up to the quick arrest of the accused.
“Thank you for your understanding that Police cannot be at your village all times and the partnership in crime prevention is one way we can be able to maintain law and order in our communities,” says PPC Sitai.
MEDICAL reports from the ministry of health and medical services (MHMS) in Malaita province show a record of 110 sexually transmitted infections (STI) in 2017.
The reports have been collected through the laboratory diagnosis treatment over 2017.
The most infected age group last year was 25 to 49 years.
STI cases include Hepatitis B, Syphilis, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Trichonomous and Candida.
According to the 2017 data collected during the laboratory diagnosis treatment, Hepatitis B recorded 63 cases, Syphilis 42, Chlamydia 0, Gonorrhoea 3, Trichonomous 1 and Candia has recorded only one case with a total of 110 recorded cases.
The youngest which got infected with gonorrhoea according was a female between 10 to 14 years of age.
A young male between 10 and 14 years old got infected with Hepatitis B.
Last year’s records were an increase compared to 2016 data.
The reports recommend that awareness programmes must be carried out in schools and communities to make aware young people and students about the STI cases.
Most infected age groups are youths especially students, the report said.
SELLING of imported products labelled with foreign language will not be tolerated, says chief inspection officer of the Honiara City Council Mr George Titiutlu.
He voiced this statement during an exclusive interview with this paper yesterday.
Titulu said this matter has been a major issue at hand with shops and food outlets and has been raised over and over again, yet importers are not complying with regulations about foreign language issues.
“Selling of any more products labelled with foreign language will not be allowed simply because it can’t be read and understand by majority of Solomon Islanders
“And so importers please comply to the set regulations in placed and try to get clear targets based on importing foreign language products to have all the food importation information products must be totally in English
“Also we a sovereign nation and city hence this kind of matter should not stay pending.”
He said the grace period in exercising this kind of practices already lapsed a long time ago and as of next week they will put words into action.
“So whilst HCC team as an enforcing agency embarking upon this issue we also need businesses houses and consumers to work closely with us and try to meet the required requirement in regards to products labeled in foreign language,” said Titulu.
