A MAN who confessed to raping a seven-year-old girl on three occasions in Ngella, Central Province, in 2022 has been recently sentenced to a total of 12 years in jail.
The now 47- year-old man who could not be named to protect the identity of the child victim was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to three counts of rape.
Judge John Keniapisia, in his sentencing remarks, said sexual abuse and rape of very tender-aged girls in the age range of two to seven years is a very serious crime.
“These are the target groups that Parliament intended to protect from sexual abuse through the 2016 legislative reform. Courts too must sing along with the intention to protect the young and the vulnerable from sexual abuse,” Judge Keniapisia said.
“For that reason, a sentence of 12 years concurrent for three separate counts is justifiable, not only to the offender, but to act as deterrence to the general public,” Judge Keniapisia added.
The defendant was 45 years old and the victim, 7, when the three incidents occurred in 2022.
Judge Keniapisia said the offending took place within the vicinity or close proximity to the victim’s home.
He said the victim’s home and its immediate surrounding/vicinity is a place where the victim should roam and play around with her safety and security assured.
“Instead, (defendant’s name withheld) turned the environment into a crime scene.”
The court heard that the defendant was known to the victim because he was a frequent visitor to her family home in Ngella.
The defendant was a family friend and visitor to the victim’s family household.
Judge Keniapisia said the defendant capitalized on that relationship and sexually abused the victim, a child, who undoubtedly had trust and was dependent on him as a family friend.
He said the defendant breached his position of trust when he turned on the victim and raped her to satisfy his sexual gratification.
Judge Keniapisia further added that the defendant raped his 7-year-old victim on three separate occasions.
“It is hard to imagine how a small girl of 7 years old could subsist such sexual rape abuse.
“The very act of rape is physical violation of a victim and physical harm is inherent in it.”
The three-year jail sentence imposed on the defendant will run from December 2022, when the defendant was remanded in custody.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
