The second defence witness in the rape trial of a 11-year-old girl has told the Suva High Court that some of his stuff got missing from his grandfather’s place and was found by police officers in May 2016 at where the girl lives.
While taking the stand, the grandson of the accused who resides in New Zealand said he traveled into the country for his grandfather’s birthday on the 25th May 2016.
He said he had noticed that some of his stuff was missing from their home like jewellery, chocolates and shoes.
When asked by defense lawyer Samanunu Vaniqi on what he did when he noticed that some of his stuff was missing the witness said he then reported the incident to the Nakasi Police station.
He said police officers then came and searched for the missing items as there were tenants in the same house.
He says police then found it at where the girl stayed.
The witness then said the girl’s mother then came out of their flat saying her daughter had done it.
When asked by Vaniqi if he then reported the matter to Police, the witness said he was told by Police not to lay any charges against the girl as she was still young.
Meanwhile, the third defence witness who was also a tenant in another flat told the court that she heard the mother telling the girl what to tell the police if she gets questioned.
She said she heard the mother telling her daughter to tell police that the man had touched her inappropriately.
During cross examination, Prosecution lawyer Kimberly Semisi asked the third defence witness if she saw the mother coaching the girl on what to say.
The witness said she never saw them but she heard them.
The 87-year-old man is charged with two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
The alleged incident took place between April and May 2016 in Nasinu.
