A 43-year-old man accused of exposing his private body part to two girls aged 13 and 14 in Isabel Province in 2022 denied the allegations when he appeared in court yesterday.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the victims’ identities, pleaded not guilty to two counts of Indecent Act.
He is from another province but lives in Isabel.
After entering his pleas, the matter was adjourned to June 2 for either a pre-trial conference or a committal hearing.
Before the next date, both the prosecution and the defence counsel will determine whether the offence of Indecent Act can is triable in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court or if it falls under the High Court jurisdiction.
If the case can be heard in the Magistrate’s Court, a pre-trial conference will be conducted on the next scheduled date.
However, if it falls under the High Court’s jurisdiction, a committal hearing will be held to transfer the matter to the High Court for trial.
The two charges relates to an alleged incident in 2022 at a village in Isabel Province.
According to the allegations, two girls, aged 13 and 14, were on their way to a Chief’s residence to do laundry when the defendant called out to them from a nearby house.
They approached him, and the defendant told them that after finishing his tea, he intended to watch pornographic material and allegedly engaged in masturbation.
Allegedly, the girls rebuked him, telling him that he should be ashamed of himself.
Subsequently, the defendant allegedly exposed his genital to the two girls.
The girls were outraged by the defendant’s behavior and subsequently reported the incident to the police, which led to the defendant’s arrest.
Prosecution alleged the defendant has been committing indecent acts to several other girls in the village and showed pornographic videos to them.
The Public Solicitor’s Office is representing the defendant while the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
