BY MELVILLE TITIULU
The Magistrate Court has imposed a consecutive fine of $600 on a woman found guilty of illegally selling betelnut and cigarettes in restricted public areas.
Phylistus Fugui of Fo’orau Village, Ata, Malaita Province was charged with two counts of charges.
The first count is in relation to hawking within the limits of Honiara Town boundaries without a valid hawkers’ license, contrary to section 3(1) of the principal hawkers’ ordinance and section 3(2) of the Honiara City Council (hawkers) amendment ordinance 2023.
The second count is in relation to the selling of betelnut in a betelnut-free zone, contrary to section 7(b) of the Honiara City Council (betel nut) ordinance 2023.
The accused pleaded guilty to those charges when arraigned.
It was alleged that on May 6, 2026 at about 11.27 am, in a public place in front of the LA Kaibar behind the NPF building at the Point Cruz in Honiara, Mrs Fugui unlawfully carried about in a manner as for sale to the general public, 9 rolls of Pall Mall cigarettes at $2.50 per roll and 7 rolls of Bro Sky cigarettes at $2.00 without a Hawker’s licence.
It was later discovered that on the same date, time and location, the defendant was also selling 23 fruit betelnuts at $3 per fruit betelnut and 17 fruit leaves at $1 per fruit leaf, in a betelnut-free zone, which is prohibited.
The HCC officers approached the defendant and invited her to follow them to the law enforcement office for further dealings, where the defendant was later formally arrested and charged, and released on principal bail to appear before the court on her scheduled date.
The maximum penalty for the offence of Hawking in a public place without a hawker’s license is $1,000. The corresponding sentence is 40 days’ imprisonment.
Whereas, the objective of the Betelnut Free Zone Ordinance 2023 is to regulate the sale and consumption of betelnut and betelnut products within Honiara City.
The ordinance itself makes it an offence to sell, consume, spit, chew betelnut and litter anywhere in a betelnut-free zone (HCC-designated areas).
Principal Magistrate Ben Alasia presided over the matter when it came for sentencing on Thursday.
The court took into consideration the defendants’ personal circumstances in light of the seriousness of the offence in reaching the appropriate fine.
Accordingly, the court imposed a fine of $300 for count 1 and $300 for count 2 to be payable to the court by Friday next week.
In default of payment, she will serve 1 month’s imprisonment at the Rove Correctional.
Harry Bisafo prosecuted the matter, and he represented the HCC while the offender was self-represented in court.
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