- Nauru teens charged for local’s death
- Aulanga: Burglars will not go undetected
- Man jailed for break-in, stoning police
- ‘Police must be accorded respect’
Nauru teens charged for local’s death
THE two teenagers accused of the death of a Solomon Islander in the Republic of Nauru in February are now facing murder charges.
This was after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) filed for the murder charge against the two teens aged 18 and 19.
Both of them had entered not guilty pleas to the murder charge last Friday and their matter was further adjourned for the fixing of a trial date.
The two teens were earlier charged with assault-related charges.
Police arrested the duo following the incident at about 3am and 4am on February 15.
The 19-year-old deceased James Bako was out drinking with his friends when he was allegedly assaulted by other youths who were hanging around the area.
His friends rang the police and alerted them about the incident.
Late Bako was found by police at the old Golf course, opposite RonPhos Workshop volleyball court lying on the ground.
He was taken to the Republic of Nauru Hospital by police where he became critical in the evening and was put on life support due to internal bleeding.
It was believed that late Bako had a fracture on his head that seemed to be caused by a blunt object.
Late Bako, unfortunately, died on the night of February 20.
An autopsy had been conducted on Monday and his body later released to his family on Tuesday.
He was buried on the same day.
Late Bako was living with his mother and step-father from Nauru when the incident happened.
Aulanga: Burglars will not go undetected
PRINCIPAL Magistrate Augustine Aulanga has warned a man sentenced for warehouse breaking and other like-minded offenders that stealing through break-in of homes and business properties will not go undetected.
He said the sentence imposed on William Tuabe for the warehouse break-in reflects the court and community’s revulsion against the home or business premise invasion by thieves.
“To the accused and other like-minded members of the community be herein warned not to be fooled by your insatiable hunger for money that stealing through break-in of homes or business properties will go undetected,” Aulanga said.
“If you commit such crimes, the high odds are that you will be detected, tracked down and sent to prison,’ he added.
Aulanga said police experience and expertise, scientific advances and community networking and partnership are constantly making detection easy nowadays and therefore, you cannot escape from the radar of the law.
“Your deviant attitudes and character will not lead you to any greatness. You will never reach any hall of fame or even considered as nobles or superstars in your own world for committing crimes.
“The only imprisonment is the inevitable route for you.
“If you were sent to prison, your freedom of liberty and movement will be seriously restricted and you will suffer other consequential effects attributed from such punishment not experienced at home.
“Anyone who tells you that going to Rove prison is a taxpayer-funded holiday has obviously never had a proper look inside that prison,” Aulanga further added.
He said it is just simply not the right place to be for a right-minded person.
A 23 months imprisonment was imposed on Tuabe for the warehouse breaking.
Man jailed for break-in, stoning police
A YOUNG man who broke into Solomon Water’s compound in Honiara and stole tyres and also threw stones at police has been sentenced to a total of two years and four months in jail yesterday.
William Tuabe, 21, was sentenced after pleading guilty to the charges of warehouse break-in and obstruction of police officers in the execution of their duties.
Augustine Aulanga in his sentencing remarks said that it is not right or even shameful to see a young person like Taube sent to prison for crimes that could have been avoided if his parents or guardians play their parental role in supervising and teaching their children to behave appropriately in the community and refrain from joining young delinquents that are very common in Honiara.
“You should take the leading role in teaching your child and not the law since and since you allow the law to teach your child, this is the kind of punishment you expect your child will receive in the future,” Aulanga said in his remarks meant for the accused’s parents or guardians.
Aulanga said he made these comments since youth offending is very common in our country and one of the contributing factors to this is the failure of parents to properly teach and discipline their children at home.
The warehouse breaking relates to an incident on 6 September 2019 between 4am and 5am.
Tuabe and another two men cut the fence of the Solomon Water compound at Tuvaruhu.
They then made their way to the warehouse building inside the compound and forcefully pushed opened the locked door of the building.
Whilst inside the building, Tuabe took four brand new tyres and fled the building.
The total cost of the tyres was about $8,000.
The tyres were never recovered.
Mr Aulanga in light of this offence said this is one of the most disgusting offences that all communities in the Solomon Islands do not accept.
“Our homes and business premises need to be safe and secured from home invaders.
“Therefore, general deterrence is particularly important to stop would-be offenders from committing similar crimes,” Aulanga added.
The second incident happened on 29 September 2019 at about 12pm and 1pm at Tuvaruhu.
Some police officers at that time had attended to a report regarding an assault case at Tuvaruhu.
As the police officers were following up the Tuvaruhu River bank to locate the wanted suspects, they sighted a group of boys including Tuabe.
When the officers approached the group of boys, they started to throw stones at the officers and the officers therefore retreated.
Following a police investigation, Tuabe was identified and arrested.
Aulanga said Tuabe committed this offence with the support of others and also involved in the subsequent stoning police officers.
“I also find the offending was not provoked and insanely carried out against the police officers while performing their statutory duties.
“This is not only a display of gross disrespectfulness to the authority but also, an utter stupidity at its worst,” he further added.
A sentence of 23 months imprisonment was imposed for the warehouse break-in while five months was imposed for obstructing police officers in the execution of their duties.
Aulanga ordered both sentences to run concurrently which result in a total sentence of two years and four months imprisonment.
The time Tuabe spent in custody was ordered to be deducted from this total sentence.
Bobby Harunari of Public Solicitor’s lawyer is representing Taube while Police Prosecutor Tex Riwa appeared for the Crown.
‘Police must be accorded respect’
POLICE officers must be allowed to perform their duties freely and without fear of being attacked, a Honiara Magistrate says.
Principal Magistrate Augustine Aulanga made this remark yesterday when sentencing a young man who threw stones at police officers attending to an assault report at Tuvaruhu last September.
“It is not an easy task to work during odd hours especially at night to keep the community safe and for that reason, the community must show some appreciation and respect for police officers,” Aulanga said.
He added that it has been judicially recognised that an attack on a police officer is an attack on the authority and the rule of law and therefore, a person can expect an immediate custodial sentence.
“The work of police officers is very important and globally recognised.
“They are law enforcement officers responsible for upholding the rule of law.
“They protect lives and properties and maintaining peace and order in the community.
He said they represent the authority of the State when performing their duties.
“Hence, the respect accorded to a police officer is the respect accorded to the rule of law,” Aulanga further added.
Some Police Officers were attending to a report regarding an assault case at Tuvaruhu when the accused and a group of boys threw stones at them.
The police, therefore, retreated from their duties.
The maximum penalty for this offence is two years imprisonment.