South Guadalcanal rape case disclosed in court
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
TWO juveniles and three adults who allegedly ganged up to rape a 13-year-old girl at a village in Weathercoast, south Guadalcanal, last month have been remanded in custody, Wednesday.
The two juvenile males aged 16 and 17 are facing charges of rape and defilement while Benard Suia, 26, Thomas Ini, 24 and Joana Tatehando, 25, are facing one count each of procuration.
Police Prosecutor Rajah Patrick Abe yesterday applied for a 14-day remand which was granted by the court.
Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi granted the remand on the ground that all the accused did not have permanent addresses in Honiara, which raises the issue of risk of absconding.
Prosecution alleged the three adults assisted the juveniles to rape the 13-year-old girl on 29 September 2017 under an incomplete house at Haimarao area.
The girl was cared for by her father after her mother died when she was very young at another village in Weathercoast.
It was just this year that her cousin sister, who lived at Haimarao, took her to live with her.
Prosecution alleged on the day of the alleged incident at about 8pm, the female accused Joan Tatehando, sought the permission of the girl’s cousin sister for her to spend the night at her house.
Arriving at Joanna’s house, the prosecution alleged that all the other accused were there sitting at the house.
Prosecution then alleged the three adults forced the girl to have sexual intercourse with the two juveniles, who went and waited under an incomplete house, 19 meters away from Joana’s house.
The girl refused but Thomas allegedly pulled her to the incomplete house.
It was then alleged the two juveniles pulled her under the house and repeatedly raped her, before leaving her there.
Prosecution further alleged that while the rape took place, the three adults were sitting at the veranda of Joana’s house fully aware of the rape taking place.
The three accused are still without lawyers when they were remanded yesterday.
Public Solicitor’s lawyer William Kadi appeared on behalf of the PSO for this matter.
He will be informing the PSO of this matter for an allocation of a laywer.
