- Father accused of raping daughters to face High Court
- Ngedea out on bail
- Sentencing for man who steals
Father accused of raping daughters to face High Court
A MAN accused of raping his teenage daughters over a period of two years since 2017 has been committed to stand trial in the High Court.
This was after Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea found sufficient evidence to support the charges against the father to commit him to stand trial in the High Court.
The ruling is in relation to a short form preliminary inquiry conducted earlier on the matter of the accused.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the identities of his daughters, is facing 18 counts of rape in relation to allegations between 2017 and 2019.
He allegedly committed the offences on his daughters aged 14 and 17 in their family home in Honiara.
Iomea adjourned the matter to October 25.
That’s when the accused will make his first appearance in the High Court for a call over.
The trial dates for this matter will be fixed by the High Court at a later date.
Public Solicitor’s lawyer Lazarus Waroka represents the accused while Public Prosecutor Stewart Tonowane appeared for the Crown.
Ngedea out on bail
THE man facing multiple false pretences charges involving $53,000 has been released on bail yesterday.
Same Ngedea, 45, who faces 53 counts of false pretences, was released on a cash bail of $2,000 attached with strict bail conditions.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea granted Ngedea’s second bail application given the change of circumstances submitted to the court.
“The letter confirming that five of the applicant’s (Ngedea’s) children were sent from school (school’s name withheld) because no payment of outstanding fees up to term 3 is a new material before this court, not raised in the first application,” Mr Iomea said in his ruling.
He added that in the absence of any evidence from the prosecution to rebut this, he regarded this as a change of circumstances.
“I am also mindful of the fact that the applicant is innocent until proven guilty.”
In supporting Ngedea’s second bail application, his wife gave a sworn statement on which she stated Ngedea is sole bread winner in their family.
She stated that as a result of Ngedea’s remand, his five children were being sent home from school due to non-payment of outstanding feels.
The wife also stated that her husband’s remand also affected negotiation process in relation to a logging operation on his land in the province as the applicant is a key player in the negotiation.
She further stated in response to the alleged interference with the complainant by certain relatives of the accused that it was the licensee for the logging operation that went to the complainant.
This is to settle the matter in custom way of compensation to allow Ngedea to be bailed without his knowledge.
The first bail application was refused by Mr Iomea on grounds of interference of witnesses.
This was after he considered a statement made by a police officer who claimed Ngedea during the period of the alleged offending threatened the complainant on several occasions through phone calls.
Prosecution in objecting to the bail application also relied on this officer’s statement that was filed in objection to the first application.
“I am satisfied that the facts raised in his second bail application amount of ‘change of circumstances,” Mr Iomea ruled.
He then granted bail for Ngedea but on strict bail conditions.
Ngedea’s wife also entered into her own surety of $1,000 to ensure Ngedea to comply with the bail conditions.
Whilst on bail, Ngedea is not allowed to travel out of Guadalcanal Island, he is to report to Naha Police Station twice a week, he will not re-offend, and not to contact or verbally threatens the police witnesses through mobile and telephone communications or text messages whilst his case is active before the court.
He is also to attend all future court hearings.
Ngedea is due back in court on October 21, for plea to all the charges against him.
Ngedea is facing 53 counts of false pretences in relation to allegations between 3 December 2018 and 20 July 2019.
Prosecution alleged he lied to an elderly retired doctor and obtained $53,000 from him.
Ngedea allegedly collected the money on numerous occasions from the 78-year-old complainant at his motel in Honiara.
He claimed the money he collected were for compensation for the complainant trying to have sex with his mother, Mary.
Prosecution also alleged he would on different occasions, used different names such as George Ben, John Lake and Peter.
According to the allegation, Ngedea made an arrangement with a woman to meet the complainant.
It was few days after a woman who identified herself as Mary went to see the complainant that Ngedea allegedly started to call and threatened the complainant for money.
Over a period of time, the accused collected a total of about $53,000 from the complainant that he claimed for compensation and settlement of the matter outside of court.
The accused also obtain money from the complainant to assist him travel to New Zealand, and for boat repair.
As a result of this incident, the complainant’s business was bankrupt resulting in him leasing his property.
Chris Rarumae of Public Solicitor’s Office applied for the bail application on behalf of Ngedea while Public Prosecutor Steward Tonowane appeared for the Crown.
Sentencing for man who steals
SENTENCE of a man who confesses to stealing valuable properties valued at $16,500 from a home in Honiara last month will be handed down tomorrow.
Chris Luifoa, 24, had pleaded guilty to one count of larceny in a dwelling house.
This relates to the incident on 21 September this year where he stole a laptop and mobile phones from the home of a family he regarded as close friends in Honiara.
The court heard that about 2pm on that day, Luifoa went to the complainant’s house and took those items.
He told them that he was sent by one of their family members to collect those items.
Shortly after he left, a member of the complainant’s family received a phone call from a taxi driver informing them the accused is about to sell those items.
One of the complainant’s family members then boarded a taxi and went to where the accused was and asked him to return those items.
The accused however refused to return those items.
The matter was then reported to police who later arrested and charged the accused.
The court also heard that all properties except for a Samsung mobile phone were recovered.
The Samsung phone costs $3,500.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea will deliver his sentence tomorrow morning.
Luifoa represents himself in court while Police Prosecutor Iete Tebakota appears for the Crown.
