Alleged rapist escaped from cell

By ZEDAIAH KANAU
POLICE have obtained a warrant of arrest for a 29-year-old felon who allegedly raped a disabled woman after escaping from custody.
Central Court magistrate Marcus Nandape issued the warrant for Rex Ranga yesterday following an application by police prosecutor Sgt George Vetari.
According to police investigations, Ranga, from Rigo’s Kemabolo village, was allegedly behaving under the influence of alcohol when he confronted Kira Sere for a conversation in her house at about 9pm on Oct 20, 2018.
Ranga allegedly forced Sere into her room, pinned her to the floor with his hand over her mouth, stripped and raped her. Sere reported that she could not resist Ranga as he had a knife and was threatening to use it on her. Ranga allegedly left the village after the rape, taking refuge in Gabone village. On April 4, Ranga was captured in Gabone beach and taken to the Kwikila Police Station where he was formally arrested and charged with rape. Ranga was previously remanded for allegedly sodomising his 13-year-old nephew and allegedly committed the same offence after escaping from custody at the Waigani Committal Court on May 26, 2015. In the first case (Jan 1, 2015), Ranga was alleged to have threatened his nephew with a knife at a creek and took him to a cemetery where he allegedly sodomised him again.
Nandape adjourned hearing to Dec 19.