15yrs for rape of step-daughter

The National National

By HEZRON KISING
LAE National Court acting judge John Numapo told a man he jailed for 15 years for repeatedly raping his 13-year-old step-daughter that his offence was sickening and against the social norms of accepted standard of morality.
The man, 43, from Bulolo district in Morobe, was also punished for touching a child under the age of 16 sexually for which he got three years.
“It is obvious that in this case the gravity and the seriousness of the offence has rendered the mitigating factors completely insignificant. The outset of this case is by far one of the serious sexual penetration cases I have dealt with to date.
“The offence of sexual penetration involving under-age children is not only unlawful but is also against the social norms on accepted standard of morality.”
He pointed out that:

  • The man committed the offence on his own step-daughter, someone he raised since birth with his wife and who calls him and his wife, father and mother;
  • there was serious breach of existing relationship of trust, dependency and authority that makes it an aggravated sexual penetration;
  • the defendant sexually penetrated the victim not only once but on a number of occasions at different times including sodomy;
  • there was a big age difference between the defendant and the victim at the time. The defendant was 40 years old and the victim was just 13;
  • the victim suffered some physical injuries and will take her years to recover;
  • the victim suffered psychological trauma, she will always be fearful of the defendant or other man around her. She had to leave the family home and live elsewhere; and,
  • sexual penetration of a child was becoming too prevalent in recent times. This reflected the type of society that we live in. It is sickening. The seriousness of the offence demands tougher penalties on sexual predators, deviants and sadists.

Justice Numapo said a sentence with stronger deterrent effect was necessary to send a clear message not only to the prisoner but to other likeminded and would-be offenders that they can expect the same if they committed the offence.