THE case of a couple accused of collaborating to rape a girl in Ngella, Central Islands Province will be brought again before the High Court on March 21 for mention.
George Solopoto and his wife Elizabeth Koka are facing the charge of compelled sexual intercourse.
A trial was already conducted before Justice Leonard Maina and is now pending closing submissions.
Yesterday their matter was mentioned in the High Court but was further adjourned for mention.
A date for the closing submissions will be fixed during the mention.
The couple was charged in relation to an incident on 1st July 2017 at a beach in Ngella.
Prosecution alleged that Koka asked the alleged victim’s parents for the girl to follow her and her husband to another village to attend the end of the traditional 10 days mourning period of a man at Olevuga Village.
The couple and the girl went to the village that day and later that night the couple took the girl to an isolated beach.
It was alleged that at the beach Koka assisted her husband by holding the alleged victim’s hands while her husband raped the victim.
They were caught by a man who came from the seaside and flashed his torch light at them.
The couple and the girl then walked back to the village from the beach.
The court heard that the victim then reported the matter to her aunt using Koka’s mobile phone which Koka gave her to use as torch since it was very dark.
The incident was then reported to police on 3rd August 2017 and an investigation was conducted resulting in the arrest of the couple on 5th August.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Newsroom, Honiara
