A MAN and his wife have been arrested, charged, and remanded in custody yesterday for allegedly working together to rape a girl last month on Gela, Central Province.
George Solopoto, 48, and Elizabeth Koka were brought to the Honiara Magistrates’ Court where they were remanded in custody until August 24.
Police charged Solopoto with one count of rape while Koka faces one count of compelled sexual intercourse.
They were charged under the sections of the Penal Code (Amendment) (Sexual Offences Act) 2016.
The alleged incident occurred on the night of July 1 at a beach at Gela.
Police Prosecutor Iete Tebakota, who applied for the 14 days remand, told the court Koka had asked the permission from the alleged victim’s mother for the victim to accompany her and her husband to another village.
This is to attend the ten days of burial of a man at Olevuga Village.
The court heard they travelled by boat and arrived at that village at about 7am.
That night between 10pm and 11.30pm, Solopoto asked the alleged victim to accompany him and his wife to collect a pot at his son in-law’s house but the alleged victim refused to follow.
Mr Tebakota told the court that Solopoto however insisted that the alleged victim must accompany them.
The three of them then left and stopped at a house where the accused brought three bottles of Saratoga.
They kept walking until they reach an isolated beach where the alleged sexual offence and rape occurred.
Prosecution alleged Koka assisted her husband by holding on to the victim’s hand when her husband allegedly raped the alleged victim.
They were caught by a man who came from the sea side flashing his torch light at them.
Mr Tebakota said the two accused and the alleged victim then walked back together.
The court heard Koka gave her mobile phone to the alleged victim to use it as a torch since it was a very dark night.
The alleged victim took the mobile phone, rang her aunty and informed her of what the two accused did to her.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
The matter was then reported to the police on August 3 and an investigation was carried out which resulted in the arrest of the two accused on August 5.
Solopoto asked the court to consider the fact that they have children who relied on them but Principal Magistrate Augustine Aulanga told them he has already made his order for remand.
He told them they can apply for bail within the next 14 days and told Solopoto he should have considered that fact before they allegedly committed the offence.
Mr Aulanga remanded them on the grounds provided by prosecution which are, the seriousness of the offences, the two accused might abscond their bail given that they have no fixed address in Honiara, likelihood of re-offending and risk of interfering with police investigation.
