Police condemned the alleged rape incident of a 2-year-old victim at Kaibia in Central Honiara on the 16 December 2017.
It was alleged the victim was playing with her sister when a 17 year-old male approached and took her to the kitchen behind the main victim’s parent’s house and sexually assaulted the child.
The victim was reported crying and the mother intervened and reported the matter to police.
“Upon investigations, Detectives at the Sexual Assault Squad arrested the Accused on the 26 of December, charged him for one count of rape contrary to Section 136 F (1) (a) of the Penal Code, Amended Sexual Offences Act 2016, and was remanded at the Rove Correctional Centre awaiting further investigations,” says Sergeant Brian Kanai, Officer in charge of Sexual Assault Squad.
Sergeant Kanai says, “Often perpetrators are some one known to the victim, or a person of trust, neighbour or a friend. Perpetrators target their victims when they are left alone, unsupervised or playing alone at home. Sometimes they pretend to be nice to your kids, but you have to take extra precautions not to let your kids alone”.
He added, “Call the police immediately (23666) if your child is sexually abused, report it to your nearest Police Station, or report it to Sexual Assault Squad at Rove, Police headquarters. It is our duty to protect our young children from any form of abuse”,
The offence the accused was charged with is serious offence as it carries a maximum custodial penalty of life imprisonment.
Police appeals to those with information to come forward and assist in investigations and to the relatives of the victim not to take the law into their own hands.