Wife allows court to prosecute husband

 By Douglas Deseng
Women should be commended for taking a strong stand in letting the court process take its course to prosecute their abusive husbands, a magistrate says.
Boroko District Court magistrate Tracy Ganai said that when commending a victim (name withheld) who took a bold stand to let the court deal with her husband by presenting statements against him.
Ganai told the court that the number of withdrawals of assault and domestic violence cases was very high. The victims, especially women, withdrew their cases against their husbands claiming they felt sorry for them or that the husband was the sole bread-winner for the family.
“The Boroko District Court is currently dealing with a high number of assault cases and high number of domestic violence cases as well,” Ganai said.
Ganai told the court that when women intended to withdrew charges against their husbands on the next court day, they went against the course of justice and that was a serious offence.
Ganai told the court that once the proposed Domestic Violence Bill (currently reviewed in parliament) is enacted, wife bashing would be regarded as a crime.
“In countries like Australia, the judge sends offenders to jail for fighting in front of their children,” Ganai said.