A MAN who pleaded guilty to indecently violating the modesty of a 13-year-old girl at a settlement in West Honiara has been fined $400 yesterday in the High Court.
The accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim because they are related, earlier stood trial for a rape charge before Justice Francis Mwanesalua.
The charge was later reduced to that of indecent assault, which he intruded in the privacy of the girl and violated her modesty after the girl agreed to that during cross-examination.
He took his guilty plea to the lesser charge and was fined $400 in default of two months imprisonment.
He has until 30 April to pay up the fine.
The maximum penalty for this indecent charge is one year imprisonment.
The accused has already spent more than one year in custody while waiting for this matter to go to trial.
The incident occurred on 16 September 2013 while the alleged victim paid a visit to her aunty residing there.
Her aunty was doing the laundry when the accused entered the house to where the alleged victim and a baby were still sleeping and masturbated in front of her.
The accused is represented by George Gray of Public Solicitor’s Office, while Public Prosecutor Nelson Dhita appeared for the State.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
