THE couple accused of raping a girl in Gela, Central Province, in 2017 will know their fate when they appear in court on Friday.
That is when Judge Leonard Maina will deliver his judgement on defendants George Solopoto and wife Elizabeth Koka.
The judgement was listed to be delivered yesterday.
However, the Registry Office informed the two defendants and their lawyer that the judgement will be delivered on Friday.
The two defendants stood trial before Judge Maina in 2021.
The husband is facing a Rape charge, whilst the wife faces the charge of Compelled Sexual Intercourse.
The prosecution called about four witnesses at the trial, whilst the two defendants remained silent.
The couple were charged in relation to an allegation on the night of 1 July 2017 at a beach at Gela.
The prosecution alleged Koka asked the alleged victim’s parents for her to follow them to another village to attend the 10-day mourning period for a deceased in Olevuga village.
They allegedly went to that village that day and later that night, they took the girl with them to an isolated beach.
It was alleged that whilst they were at the beach, Koka assisted her husband by holding onto the alleged victim’s hands while her husband raped her.
They were caught by a man who came from the seaside and flashed his torch at them.
They then allegedly walked back to the village from the beach.
The matter was reported to police on 3 August 2017 and an investigation was carried out and it resulted in the arrest of the two accused on August 5.
Frank Brenan Kama of Public Solicitor’s Office is representing the couple, whilst Public Prosecutor Olivia Ratu Manu is prosecuting.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
