BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
POLICE Commissioner Mathew Varley has confirmed during the police conference on Thursday that the suspect into the alleged murder and rape of a girl on Tikopia Island will be brought to Honiara.
Commissioner Varley said it is a very tragic and gruesome incident and police are condemning the incident.
“This is a very sad and tragic incident where a young girl innocent life has been gruesomely and tragically taken away”, Varley said.
He said police investigation has progressed very well and further updates on the case will be issued when the officers arrive back today.
The alleged murder and rape incident occurred in Tikopia on October 4 2018. Due to the seriousness of the issue, police have been deployed to Tikopia via the Police Patrol Boat with police officers investigating the case.
The young girl aged between10-12 was allegedly raped and subsequently murdered, her body found floating the next day in a lake near her village.
“This is a very tragic and confronting case once we heard the case last week we immediately dispatch the officers to travel down onboard the police patrol boat”, Varley said.
He said post mortem was also conducted on the deceased this week.
Varley said the suspect in this case was taken into custody by the village chief soon after the incident and was handed over to police before inquiry and investigations continued from there.
“As we said before, the rate of violence against women and girls in this country is high and needs to stop. And we will do everything in our power to continue investigate trace down and prosecute those who destroy women’s life this way”, Varley added.
