FOUR men, who are facing separate sexual offences, including rape in Isabel Province, have not yet entered their plea to allegations against them.
The men, aged 38, 46, 60 and 69 facing charges of indecent assault and rape, were supposed to enter their pleas last Friday.
However, they could not do so due to certain unresolved issues and as such their cases were adjourned to March 24for plea.
The 38-year-old man, who was originally charged with five counts of rape, is now facing one count of persistent sexual abuse of a child under 15 after the prosecution amended and substituted the charges on Friday.
He is accused of committing the offense against his close relative on several occasions between 2018 and 2021.
Most of the incidents occurred while the alleged victim was asleep inside her family house.
The alleged victim is now 16-years-old and doing Form Two at a secondary school in Isabel Province.
The second accused, a 46-year-old man, is facing charges of rape of a person with disability.
Although the matter was listed for a plea, his lawyer turned up in court with an intent to make a bail application, hence the accused did not take his plea.
Deputy Chief Magistrate, Ricky Iomea, therefore adjourned the matter for plea and instructed the defence to make a bail application on the next court date if the defence intended to do so.
The accused allegedly committed the offence against a 21-year-old girl with a disability last year. The victim was showering behind her family kitchen when the accused allegedly grabbed her and dragged her downhill to a valley where he allegedly raped her.
The prosecution has also revised the details of the charges against the third accused, the 60-year-old man who is facing three counts of indecent acts with a person with significant disability.
Following the revision, Mr Iomea, adjourned the matter for plea on the next court date. The victim in this case is the biological daughter of the accused. She is now 31-years-old.
The alleged incident occurred between 2014 and 2017.
The eldest of the three accused, the 69-year-old man was charged with an indecent act that he allegedly committed on his 11-year-old granddaughter last year.
He is yet to take his plea as police are still to obtain additional statement from the alleged victim.
The Public Solicitor’s Office (PSO) represents the four accused, whilst the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) appears on behalf of the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
