A FATHER accused of sexually abusing his 11-year-old daughter on a number of occasions in 2021 and 2022 has been committed to stand trial in the High Court.
This followed the committal of his matter to the High Court by the Honiara Magistrate Court on Monday, 13th January.
This was after a Short Form Preliminary Inquiry, also known as committal hearing, was conducted.
Principal Magistrate Emily Zazariko Vagibule Pakoa committed the matter after she found sufficient evidence from witness statements, medical report, the accused’s record of interview as well as the birth certificate of the complainant.
She also granted a bail application made for the defendant and ordered the defendant to pay a cash bail of 500 to be released from custody.
The man, who could not be named to protect the identity of the complainant, will make his first appearance in the High Court on January 31.
He had already pleaded not guilty to the charge of one count of Persistent Abuse of a Child.
The alleged incidents occurred in October 2021 and 2022 but the latest allegation reportedly occurred in 2024.
The prosecution alleged that the defendant touched the complainant’s body and at other times assaulted her.
He also allegedly threatened her with a bush knife not to tell anyone about what he did to her.
On one occasion, the defendant told the complainant to allow him to touch her body, promising to buy her a Smartphone.
During one incident, the victim cried and walked out of the house because she did not accept what her father had done to her.
The complainant later reported what her father did to her to her aunt.
Her aunt went to the Police and lodged a complaint, which resulted in the arrest of the defendant.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
