A JUVENILE who admitted hurling a stone at another man’s head injuring him and robbing a shop at Kukum has been sentenced to a total of three years and three months in prison.
The accused, who was only 13 years of age in November 2015 when he committed the offence,was sentenced in a closed court on Monday.
Principal Magistrate Augustine Aulanga told the juvenile regarding the robbery charge that despite his very young age what concerns him is his action speaks louder than words.
“In other words, your behaviour as demonstrated by your involvement in a gang robbery can only be expected from mature persons or persons in an advance age and not from a 13 year old youth like you,” MrAulanga told the young man.
“Despite your young age, what you have done by involving in a robbery 14 days after you had seriously assaulted another person clearly reflected you had developed behaviour susceptible to committing crimes,” the magistrate added.
“It began with a petty crime at first but then elevated to a serious crime.”
Mr Aulanga said given the accused’s state of mind, combined with his action at the time of the offending was contrary to a 13-year-old but resembled an adult or an already grown up person, his duty is to ensure youth crimes are discouraged by giving effect to the intention when it comes to sentencing of a young offender like him in his case.
“Otherwise, the current and like minded young offenders will continue to take advantage and hide behind the cloak of youthfulness simply to escape lengthy custodial sentence – a worrying trend in light of the current realities and experience in our country,” he said.
The accused and three other youths robbed the New Generation Shop along the Kukum Highway on about 7.17am on 15 November 2015.
One of the youths was armed with a bush knife and threatened the cashier with it while the rest of the accused helped themselves to sleeves of Pall Mall Cigarettes and other goods inside the shop.
After the quick robbery, they escaped out of the shop with the single sleeve cigarette and cash of $500.
In relation to the assault charge, Mr Aulanga told the young accused that from what transcribed from the facts, it described how he committed this offence as deliberate, intentional and willed act against the defenceless and drunkard victim.
“It is regarded as a serious form of offending in the structure of an ordinary assault causing actual bodily harm offence.
“This was demonstrated by series of acts you took prior, during and after the offending.”
The accused met the victim at 5.30am on 1 November 2015 in front of a shop at Kukum area.
The court heard he approached the victim who had dropped off a cab after been drinking and was standing talking to a girl.
He then accused the victim that the girl he was talking to was his brother’s girlfriend.
He then swore at the victim when the victim told him that he did not know what they were talking about.
The young accused then ran across to the other side of the road, pick up a stone and hurled it at the victim.
The stone landed on the left side of the victim’s head and injured his left scalp.
The victim was taken to the Kukum clinic for medical treatment the same day as the injury he suffered had affected his nervous system that controlled the movement of his mouth.
Ben Alasia from the Public Solicitor’s office represented the juvenile while police prosecutor Iete Tebakota appeared for the State.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
