THE case of two young people accused of breaching the curfew on April 10 will be mentioned today in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court.
John Anita and Gila Kiko were supposed to be summoned by the police and prosecution to appear in court on Monday.
However, their matter was deferred to today as all matters listed for Monday and Tuesday were re-listed to today.
The changes were made because all magistrates went on a retreat outside of Honiara since Monday.
Hearings of cases in the Honiara Magistrates’ Court resumes today.
The two accused are both facing charges of restriction of movement contrary to regulation 12 (1) of the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) 2020 and Order 4 (1) (a) (i) and (b) of the Emergency Powers (COVID – 19) Restriction of movement in Honiara order 2020 as ready with section 21 (a) of the Penal Code Cap 26.
They were caught by police few minutes after the curfew time, between 8.15pm and 8.30pm walking along the road between the King Solomon and Central Police Station area.
They have both pleaded guilty to the charge when they were first brought to the Honiara Magistrate’s Court.
Chief Magistrate Emma Garo however adjourned their matter to wait for the outcome of the tiral conducted on the case of three other young men also accused of breaching the curfew on April 10 at Forest Valley, White River area in West Honiara.
Having handed her judgment on the matter on which she found the trio not guilty due to the issue of boundaries, she is now ready to deal with the case of these two accused.
She then made orders for the police and prosecution to summon the two accused to appear in court.
These two accused are part of the 63 people arrested on the two nights of curfew – April 10 and April 11.
The government had issued the curfew 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, West of Honiara to Alligator Creek in the east.
The maximum penalty of breaching the curfew is a fine of $10,000 or five years imprisonment or both.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
