Couple to plea to indecent act
A COUPLE who was charged together for indecent act after the wife allegedly encourages her husband to show his private body part to one of her nieces will plea to the allegation on 15 January 2024.
The husband is facing two counts of Indecent Act whilst the wife is facing one count of Indecent Act.
Their matter was mentioned in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court yesterday where it was heard they will take their pleas when their matter returns on 15 January 2024.
The couple did not appear in court yesterday but are required to attend court on the next court date.
The alleged victims are sisters and were aged 13 and 15 at that time of the offence which was on 16 April this year in Honiara.
The complainants were resting inside the room of the two defendants with their two children, a seven-year-old boy and 1 year-old girl when the incident occurred.
The defendants were also inside the room.
At that time the defendant was wearing a lavalalva and his private body was exposed.
His 7-year-old son and 1 year-old daughter also allegedly touched his private body part.
Later his wife allegedly told her husband to show his private body part to her 13-year-old niece which he allegedly did.
The complainant then ran out of the room and ran to her parent’s room, but they were asleep.
The husband later allegedly called his wife’s 15-year-old niece who was resting in a hammock and showed her his private body part.
The complainants later reported what their uncle did to them when their parents woke up.
Emi Rusi of Public Solicitor’s Office represents the couple whilst Public Prosecutor Amanda Mono is prosecuting this matter.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
Parties to sort out facts in forgery case
THE Prosecution and the Defence will be finalising the agreed facts for the matter of the Bank South Pacific (BSP) teller who allegedly forged bank documents and stole substantial amount of money from the bank’s customers before 26 January 2024.
The court had heard yesterday that the accused Tessa Solenone Rore, 31, is yet to plea to two counts of Larceny by Servant contrary to section 273(a) of the Penal Code and one count of Forgery of Certain Documents with Intend to Defraud contrary to section 336 of the Penal Code.
She had earlier indicated guilty pleas to the charges which resulted in her lawyer and the prosecutor working on the agreed facts regarding her matter.
Principal Magistrate Elma Veenah Rizzu Hilly having mentioned the matter yesterday adjourned it to 26 January 2024.
She also directed parties, the prosecution and the defence to settle the agreed facts before the next date.
The defendant allegedly committed the offences when she was employed as a Money Gram Teller at the BSP Central Honiara Branch.
She was working at the bank as a Money Gram Teller since 16 April 2015.
The initial allegation revealed that the defendant took out money from the till, which resulted in cash shortages.
She would then allegedly make withdrawals from customers’ accounts to balance the till at the end of each business day.
On the next business day, she would deposit the money back to the customers’ accounts from the till.
The prosecution also alleged that the defendant did such fraudulent transactions to 40 customers’ accounts since April 2020.
According to the investigation report, the total amount of money the accused stole from the till was about $500,000.00.
On August 2020, the defendant was officially terminated from her employment.
Emi Rusi from the Public Solicitor’s Office represents Rore whilst Public Prosecutor Jonathan Auga is prosecuting.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
Three months for tool damage
A MAN has been sentenced to a total of three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to damaging a power tool belonging to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and intimidating CCECC employees last year.
John Laulae, 30, was sentenced yesterday after he pleaded guilty to one count of Wilful and Unlawful Damage and one count of Intimidation.
Principal Magistrate Elma Veenah Rizzu Hilly when sentencing Laulae said by now he should learn from his mistakes.
She added that his time in custody should deter him or teach him a lesson not to re-offend.
“…..and your time in custody should have rehabilitated you and prepare you for when you return to your family.
She told Laulae not to re-offend and try to leave a peaceful life and be a law-abiding citizen and approach issues peacefully.
Laulae was charged in relation to the incident on 26 October 2022 at the CCECC campground, opposite the Karaina settlement in White River, West Honiara.
The court heard that between 2pm and 3pm on that day, Laulae entered the CCECC campground.
He was under the influence of liquor at that time.
Before this incident, the company told a number of casual workers, including Laulae, to take a break from work since the company did not have any work for casual workers to do.
When the defendant arrived at the site, he used his right hand to shoot the Chinese Construction building located within the compound three times with stones.
The workers who were there including complainant Zhu Ze Yuan were terrified as a result of Laulae’s conduct.
They all ran for their lives in order to avoid being struck by the stones.
It was heard that when questioned, Laulae stated that he shot the building because he was angry.
He became angry because when he asked for his casual pay, the Chinese workers he approached were just speaking in Chinese.
After the shooting incident, Laulae left the complex and went to Karaina community area.
He later returned and entered the site through the garage, taking with him a drop saw machine owned by CCECC.
He took the drop saw machine to the front road and dropped it strongly on the ground.
As a result, the drop saw machine suffered considerable damage and defects.
The drop saw was valued at $5,000.
Magistrate Hilly said there was no indication Laulae went to the extent of apologising and paying for the damage.
The incident was reported to police and Laulae was arrested and detained on 2 October 2022 before being released on police bail on 30 October 2022.
On 28 October 2023, a warrant of arrest was issued for Laulae.
The arrest warrant was executed on 30 October 2023 and Laulae was remanded in custody until he was sentenced yesterday.
Therefore, his sentence of three months imprisonment was backdated to the day Laulae was detained in custody.
Eddie Gaza of Public Solicitor’s Office represented Laulae whilst Police Prosecutor Iete Tebakota appeared for the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
