A Solomon Islands police prosecutor, Andrew Kelesi has told the Honiara Magistrates' Court that police will arrest and charge the parents of a 13-year girl for allegedly forcing her to live with a Malaysian logger.
He made the statement in a hearing of a bail application for the Malaysian logger, Wong Thien Sin, whom a taskforce made up of police and immigration officers had put in custody on a human trafficking charge.
Mr Kelesi and Chief Immigration Officer Chris Akosawa told Principal Magistrate Ricky Iomea they opposed the bail application because there was a real risk Mr Sin would work through his network of agents to interfere with Crown witnesses.
Photo: Supplied
Chris Akosawa, a member of the taskforce said in his sworn statement that his group had been told Mr Sin's employer, Earthmovers, had made arrangements for the alleged victim, her parents and village elders to travel to Honiara.
The police prosecution accused Mr Sin of internal human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation between 30 November 2015 and January 2016 and of having a sexual relationship with the 13-year-old girl in 2015 which continued until August 2017.
Principal Magistrate Iomea agreed to refuse the bail application.
