Admin officer fronts court
AN admin officer of a logging company accused of employing two foreigners without a work permit in Makira Province has appeared in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Tang Tung Siong of Malaysia faces a charge of employing non-citizens not authorized to work.
The court yesterday imposed strict bail conditions on him including a cash bail of $1,000 that he has to pay to the court.
He was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court.
Siong allegedly employed two Malaysian nationals who do not have work permit to work at Arua’a logging camp between 15 March this year and 12 April this year.
He was the admin officer of the Woodland Enterprise Limited.
Having imposed the strict bail conditions, Deputy Chief Magistrate Ricky Iomea adjourned the matter to October 18 for possible plea.
Amos Ngaingeri of L & L Lawyers represents Siong while Public Prosecutor Vernon Taupongi is appearing for the Crown.
Forest Valley murder committed to High Court
THE case of three young men accused of the murder of a man at Forest Valley, West Honiara in July is now committed to the High Court for trial.
Sanders Mataisau, 22, Nick Tino Wale, 30 and Randy Taia, 29 will be facing trial in the High Court for the murder charge against them.
Principal Magistrate Leonard Chite made the committal order yesterday after he found sufficient evidences against the three accused to stand trial in the High Court.
The ruling came following a short form preliminary inquiry conducted on the last court date on this matter.
The three men were charged in relation to an allegation on 15 July this year at Forest Valley.
They were engaged as Community By-Law Securities for the Forest Valley at that time of the offence.
Their roles as By-Law securities are to ensure that residents within the community are safe and free from criminal activities.
It was alleged that between 2am and 3am on the date of the offending, they were on foot patrol to check on some boys drinking alcohol and swore at them.
They arrived at the location but the boys had already left so the defendants and other By-Law security officers returned to Forest Valley.
However, on their way back, they saw the deceased and another man sitting near a house.
The three defendants then approached the two boys and accused them of swearing at them.
They then allegedly attacked and assaulted the two men including the deceased.
Not long after the incident the leader of the By-Law security arrived and told them to stop and to sort out the problem with the police.
The deceased was assisted to the National Referral Hospital but was later pronounced dead by medical authorities.
Juvenile gets suspended sentence
A YOUNG Teenage male who attempted rape on his six year-old niece last year in Guadalcanal has luckily escape prison when he was sentenced recently in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court.
This was after Principal Magistrate Augustine Aulanga ordered that the one year imprisonment term he imposed to be fully suspended for one year.
This is on condition that the now 15 year-old accused is to be of good behaviour and not to be charged by the Police with any new criminal offences during the one year period.
The young juvenile was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted rape.
Mr Aulanga before sentencing the juvenile told him that he was just 14 years of age when he committed the offence of attempted rape and therefore, he is too young to think and try sex.
“Do not pollute or corrupt your mind with immoral thoughts about having sex since it will lead you into trouble like what you’ve done in the present case,” Mr Aulanga said.
He further told the juvenile that what he had done in attempting to have forced sexual intercourse with a child is a crime.
“It will land you in jail.
“You need to change your mindset now for the better otherwise it will lead you into serious sexual crimes such as committing rape for example.”
The juvenile was also told that at his early age, he should focus and concentrate on his education than thinking about having sex.
“Leave or reserve that thought for later years for your marriage and not now as you did.”
The incident occurred in the evening of 9th October 2020 inside a bush close to a river in the Guadalcanal province.
The complainant and three other little girls were on their way to swim at a nearby river on that day.
On their way, the three other girls followed the main road while the complainant followed a short-cut route when she met the accused.
The accused’s attempt to rape her at that time but was disturbed by the three other little girls.
Given the accused’s age at the time of the offending, Mr Aulanga said he does not think he understood the insights of the seriousness or the consequences of his actions when he committed the crime.
He said the court must be sensitive to his age and immaturity when sentencing him.
“In light of the factors alluded to, it is my view that a rehabilitative sentence is important for this offender.
“Sentencing him to imprisonment in my view will be a harsh form of punishment for this young person.
“He needs to be with his parents for supervision and mentoring while at the same time, he must also be responsible for what he had done to the victim.”
Mr Aulanga then imposed one year imprisonment but then had it fully suspended for one year on condition the accused is to be of good behaviour and not to be charged by the police with any new criminal offences during the one year period.
The juvenile was represented by Rodney Manebosa of Public Solicitor’s Office while Public Prosecutor Monica Rehomora appeared for the Crown.
Woman fit to take plea for murder charge
A WOMAN accused of the murder of an elderly woman in Malaita in 2016 has been confirmed by a doctor that she is now fit to take her plea.
Ida Gwaro’s matter had been taken off the court’s list for sometimes after she was found to have been unfit to take her plea due to her mental health condition.
In 2017, a doctor assessed Gwaro and found her to have suffered from Paranoid Schizophrenia, which is a mental illness.
Her matter was then sent to the Governor General for his considerations.
The GG then made orders directing her to be kept at the Rove Correctional Centre to receive her treatment.
Just recently, another assessment was conducted on her by a psychiatrist who confirmed that she is fit to take her plea.
Her matter was therefore listed again in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court, of which, she appeared yesterday.
However, since she is yet to be allocated a lawyer her matter was further adjourned to this Thursday.
Ida was accused of stabbing an elderly disabled woman to death with a bush knife at Gwaiau village in the highlands of north Malaita in June 2016.
The deceased died as a result of wounds sustained on her legs and hands.
