THE young man arrested and charged with one count of spreading false rumours that men in a Toyota RAV4 attempted to abduct him at the Kola Ridge cemetery in Honiara in October pleaded guilty when he appeared in court on last week.
Junior Harry Gereniu’s guilty plea was ensued by sentencing submissions and mitigation.
He will return to court on 13 January 2025 to be handed his sentence.
On 19 October at around 9.15pm, he went live on Facebook, alleging that a white Toyota Rav4 without a registration number plate attempted to abduct him and used a hook to steal his bag containing his visa and passport at the Kola Ridge Cemetery Road leading up to the Talise Market.
During the month of October, rumours spread in Honiara about some unknown men going around in dark-tinted window vehicles without registration plate numbers to kidnap people for the removal of their kidneys.
Gereniu’s facebook post went viral. The false information caused widespread panic, resulting in the closure of schools in Honiara, resulting in police intervention.
The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) investigated the alleged kidnapping claim and on 8 November, the defendant admitted to police that he fabricated the story.
Sylvia Pitamama from the Public Solicitor’s Office represents Gereniu, whilst appearing of the Crown on Thursday was Police Prosecutor Florence Hiroshachi.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
