In the High Court of Kiribati
Criminal Jurisdiction

Held at Betio
Republic of Kiribati

High Court Criminal Case 40 of 2010

The Republic

v

Kiteona Esekolo

For the Republic: Ms Tewia Tawita
For the Accused: Mr Taburuea Rubetaake

Date of Hearing: 18 October 2010

SENTENCE

Kiteona Esekolo: you have pleaded guilty to indecent assault and to common assault. The two charges arise out of the same incident: an assault on the victim a girl of 15. You are 32. In January last year you were living at Antebuka and the girl was living close by. You knew her and her family well. You were attracted to her. One evening you met her at the nearby store and began propositioning her. As she walked home she rebuffed you but you persisted, grabbed her by the neck and threw her to the ground. She was very frightened. She managed to get away from you and ran calling out for her father.

You admitted to the police that you meant to have sex with her.

In your favour is that you have no previous convictions and have pleaded guilty. This means a less severe sentence than otherwise. I also take into account that you were not charged for more than 18 months.

After this happened your wife with your children by her left and went to live at Tabuaeran.

Yet what you did was very bad. You deserve to serve a term of imprisonment for it. For the indecent assault you will be imprisoned for 15 months. You are convicted without penalty on the charge of common assault.

The sentence will run from 18 October when you went into custody.

Dated the 22nd day of October 2010

THE HON ROBIN MILLHOUSE QC
Chief Justicce