AN 18-year-old man who broke into the house of a police officer and stole electronic gadgets has been sentenced to 12 months in prison.
Jeremy Saemala was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to one count of House Break-in and committing a felony.
Principal Magistrate Elma Veenah Rizzu Hilly when sentencing Saemala highlighted the seriousness of the offending noting that house breaking and committing a felony carries a maximum penalty of14 years in prison.
“This court ultimately has the duty to ensure that an offender who is found guilty of committing offences must be punished for his or her wrongdoing,” she said.
She added that there have been numerous incidents of housebreaking and the magistrate’s courts have reported a total of 176 cases of housebreaking and committing felonies since 2014 in Honiara alone.
She said this includes active and closed files, excluding the cases on circuits.
“This prevalence is now becoming a concern for Honiara citizens or residents.
In the early hours on 9 March 2025, Saemala targeted the home of a police officer.
He saw an Oppo and a Samsung tablet when he peered through the window.
The window only had louvers with no mesh wire or screen.
A JBL speaker flip six and a Huawei power bank were beside the Oppo phone and the Samsung tablet.
Saemala loosened the louvers, used a stick which was curved like a hook and pulled the gadget towards him.
He removed those gadgets from their charges and left with them, excluding the chargers.
The victim reported the incident to White River Police.
In the afternoon of the same day, Saemala was taken to White River Police post as a suspect.
He admitted to stealing the gadgets that were reported stolen and he led the police to recover them.
The Oppo phone and JBL speaker flip six were retrieved from Saemala’s room whilst the Samsung tablet and Huawei power bank were retrieved from two of his friends, David and Jerry.
Saemala gave those two gadgets to them to sell.
He was then arrested and placed at Central Watch House and the stolen gadgets were returned to the victim.
During the sentence, Magistrate Hilly identified several aggravating features, including the offence being committed at night, the use of a weapon (a stick curved like a hook), and the pre-planning involved in the crime.
“You have brought danger into the lives of innocent residents when you decided to commit this offence,” she stated.
“Home is supposed to be the safest and secure place that a person can have for his protection against danger.”
Saemala’s lawyer, Jennifer Happylyn from the Public Solicitor’s Office, submitted several mitigating factors, including her client’s youth, incomplete education, and difficult home circumstances (his parents had separated).
Magistrate Hilly also highlighted Saemala’s early guilty plea, remorse, and clean record prior to this offending.
She also expressed hope that Saemala would use his time in custody to reflect on his actions and prepare himself mentally for reintegration into society.
She then imposed a starting point of two years and after considering the aggravating, mitigating features and Saemala’s personal circumstances, she imposed a final sentence of 12 months imprisonment.
“It is my hope that you will make use of your time in custody to reflect upon your own life, make amends, and prepare yourself mentally for when you are reintegrated back into your community,” she said.
The sentence was to commence on 11 March 2025, when Saemala was first remanded in custody.
The court also ordered Saemala to uphold his right of appeal.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
