A 48-year-old community chief who had sex with a six-year-old girl has been jailed for seven years and nine months recently in the High Court.
The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the six-year-old victim was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 15.
Justice Howard Lawry in imposing sentence told the defendant that he is to be blamed for what the victim felt.
“The Crown has submitted that the offence has psychologically and emotionally brought shame on the victim and her family,” Mr Lawry said.
“She should feel no shame,” he added.
“She was the victim in your offending.
“You are to blame for what she suffered. She was not to blame,” he said.
Mr Lawry told the defendant that the victim was vulnerable as a guest in the house of her neighbor and he took advantage of that to sexually violate her.
“In imposing sentence, I must take into account the need to hold you accountable for the harm that you have done to your victim and to the community.
The defendant’s lawyer had described the defendant as a leader in the community, a chief to whom people turn to resolve problems over such things as customary land disputes.
Mr Lawry told the defendant that as a leader in the community he needs to understand the harm he had caused to the victim and to his community.
“I must promote in you a sense of responsibility for and an acknowledgement of that harm.
Mr Lawry said he needs to denounce the defendant’s conduct and deter him and others from such offending.
He said he needs to protect the community from the defendant and others who may be minded to act as the defendant had.
“I need to provide for your reintegration into the community and for your rehabilitation.
The defendant was living with the neighbour’s of the victim at West Honiara when the incident happened on 14 May this year.
The victim went to play at the house where the defendant was staying and ended up in the defendant’s room.
That was when the defendant committed the offence on the victim.
Mr Lawry told the defendant that he had caused the victim pain and robbed her of her innocence.
The defendant’s sentence was ordered to commence on 18 May 2020, the day when he was first remanded in custody.
BY ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
