THIRTEEN people have confessed to breaching the lockdown exercise that ends at 6am Tuesday, when they appeared at the Honiara Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday evening.
The group which consists of 12 males and a female had pleaded guilty to one count of restriction of movement, a charge under the State of Public Emergency.
One of the males and the female accused are a young couple who are recently engaged to be married.
Principal Magistrate, Augustine Aulanga heard the matters of the seven accused including the couple while Deputy Chief Magistrate, Ricky Iomea heard the six other matters.
Having heard their matters and noting their guilty pleas, the two magistrates had the 13 accused remanded in custody.
They are all due in court tomorrow for the sentencing submissions and mitigation.
Lawyers from the Public Solicitor’s Office are assisting the accused persons.
These accused are part of the 32 people arrested during the 36 hours lockdown exercise that ends at 6am yesterday (September 31).
They are age raged between 18 to 35-years-old.
More of those arrested are expected to appear in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court today and the coming days.
The government issued the lockdown to test its response capacity and help identify challenges faced during an actual lock down in terms of COVID-19.
The curfew was enforced within the declared emergency zone from Poha River in the west of Honiara to Alligator Creek in the east of Honiara.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Newsroom, Honiara
