Governor General’s Daughter Pleads Guilty
Court mallet. Photo credit: www.pokernews.com
The Governor General, Sir Frank Kabui’s daughter pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.
Amelia Kabui appeared before the Magistrate Court this morning with her lawyer, Andrew Radcliffe.
She pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer, obstructing police officers when executing their duties, and offensive behavior in police premises.
The charge of intimidation and molestation was withdrawn.
Sentencing submissions and mitigation followed after she took her plea.
The prosecution submitted that a sentence of imprisonment is applicable in this case.
Police Prosecutor Elson Konle said the maximum years in jail for assaulting a police officer is 5 years, obstructing police officers when carrying out their duties is 2 years and offensive behavior in police premises is a two month imprisonment.
Meanwhile in Amelia’s mitigation, Mr Radcliffe told the Court that imprisonment is not the only sentence applicable to the charges against her.
He said the Court can also impose fines.
The lawyer said assaulting a police officer carries a maximum fine of 50-thousand dollars.
He also tendered a copy of a letter to the Court, written by Amelia to the Provincial Police Commander of the Central Police Station. It was a letter of apology.
The Court also heard, a reconciliation was made after the incident at the Governor General’s residence, where Amelia apologised to the police officers involved in the incident.
Mr Radcliffe told the Court, the incident caused great embarrassment to her parents.
Chief Magistrate John Numapo adjourned the case to Friday this week for sentence.
Amelia a final year student at the University of South Pacific, assaulted a police officer and swore at other police officers when they stopped a vehicle she traveled in at the Town Council bus-stop late last month.
The Police stopped the vehicle because it traveled dangerously on the road, and posed a threat to other vehicles.
Amelia and the passengers in the vehicle were on their way to the Heritage Park Hotel after they attended a fundraising event at Henderson, East Honiara.