Abuse suspect allowed to travel before hearing

National

By GIDEON KINDIWA
A MAN committed to trial in the National Court over alleged sexual abuse of a minor has been allowed to travel out of Port Moresby while waiting for the hearing.
David Ume, 40, asked the Waigani Committal Court to allow him to travel to his home province, Eastern Highlands, to organise his businesses, arrange his children’s school fees and go for medical review at Kundiawa General Hospital in Chimbu.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar granted his request, stating that the committal process had been completed with Ume being committed to the National Court.
The court will not prevent him from travelling out, but he must be present for trial next month.
Ume was charged with sexual penetration of a minor. He was alleged to have sexually penetrated a girl, 11, on June last year.
The alleged offence took place at Kesie 1 Settlement. The accused resides next to the victim’s family.
The victim was sent to ask the accused to go and see her mother.
As she approached his house, the accused told her to go inside.
She entered the house and saw that the accused was naked. She tried to run away but the accused quickly locked the door, took off her clothes and sexually penetrated her.
She tried to scream and cry but he shut her mouth with his hands. After he was done, he told her not to tell anyone as he went and saw her (victim’s) mother as if nothing happened.
The victim went to the back of the house and was crying when her sisters saw her.
They found out that she was bleeding at the same time.
She told them what happened and she was admitted to Port Moresby General Hospital.
The accused was arrested and charged.