A young man has been sentenced to two years, six months in prison for stealing home properties worth over $3,000
He broke into a home at night and stole those personal properties.
The period the accused spent in custody will be deducted from the one and a half year imprisonment term.
The accused was only 16 years old when he committed the offence and was therefore sentenced under the Juvenile Offenders Act.
The court heard yesterday that the accused pleaded guilty to the charge of burglary on 13 April, and his matter was adjourned on eight occasions for his lawyer to file the written submissions for mitigation on his behalf.
That however was not done and Principal Magistrate Augustine Aulanga said rather than to wait for an indefinite period, he decided to deliver the sentence despite no written submission being made.
Mr Aulanga said it is quite unfortunate that the accused’s lawyer has left him to face this predicament.
He told the accused that he was only 16 years of age when he committed the offence.
“You begin your life by committing a very serious offence involving in unlawful entry into other persons’ dwelling house at an odd hour of the night for the sake of stealing.
“This type of offending has been strongly condemned and won’t be ever accepted by our Courts or our communities.
“Very often, innocent people are being targeted and ripped off of their valuable properties at the hands of selfish and irrational individuals like you who have no-care attitude,” Mr Aulanga said.
Mr Aulanga told the young accused that the vast majority of our people in Solomon Islands are tired of this type of offending and desire to live in a society that is peaceful and harmonious, and not one that is dominated by thieves and thugs.
He said if the trend of this offending is on the rise, then the Court as an institution which the people of this country have put their faith and trust to deter this type of offending must not turn a blind eye to it in terms of sentencing.
“The Court will be failing its duties if it is too merciful with offenders like you in the instance case who commit a very serious offence under the cloak of youthfulness.
“In your case you should respect the complainant’s house whether or not it is fenced,” Mr Aulanga told the accused.”
He said commons sense should tell the accused that the house he broke into that night belongs to another person.
Mr Aulanga further told the accused that he has no right to enter into the complainant’s house especially at the odd hour of the night unless he is invited.
“Therefore, you have committed an unlawful act when you decide to enter in his compound and then broke into his private house that night.”
The accused stole three mobile phones, speaker, a bag and a full chicken on the night of 18 February 2013 at about 2am when he broke into the house at Kwaio Valley, East Honiara.
The total value of those items was $3,140.
Police had only recovered one mobile phone and the speaker while the rest were still missing.
George Gray of Public Solicitor’s Office represented the accused while Police Prosecutor Iete Tebakota appeared on behalf of the State.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
