Assault on girl described as worst sexual offence

By ELLEN TIAMU
POLICE have described the brutal assault on a six-year-old girl as one of the worst sexual crimes reported in Lae.
The girl, who was left alone at home by her mother during the Easter weekend, was allegedly raped near Bundi camp in the city.
The girl, from Chimbu province, was admitted at the intensive care unit of the Angau Memorial Hospital.
Lae metropolitan commander Supt Nema Mondiai said it was the worst case of rape he had ever heard of.
“In my 36 years of police service, I’ve never come across such brutality. This is really sad,” he said.
Mondiai described the incident as “inhuman”.
“I don’t think even animals do that,” he said.
Three men are in custody and being questioned by police over the assault.
Mondiai said police were yet to lay charges.
Hospital sources confirmed the incident but would not comment further.
A resident of where the victim lived with her family said the attack took place after the mother had left the girl alone at home to go to town.
He said while left unattended, the little girl was lured by an uncle to go with him to a part of the block called the Abattoir, about a kilometre away towards the Bundi camp.
He claimed the uncle and four other men held her captive overnight and took turns in raping her. She was found the next morning.  
Meanwhile, there was another report of the alleged rape of a five-year-old-girl at Bumayong, just outside Lae last weekend.
Mondiai could not confirm the incident.
But a resident said a suspect, believed to be from Pindiu in Finschhafen, had been arrested by police at Bumayong.  
Mondiai said parents must not leave their daughters alone, adding serious crimes against girls and children were increasing.
He urged parents to leave their children with trusted people as children “are becoming more vulnerable to sexual attacks”.
“Parents should take responsibility to care for their children as even close relatives can’t be trusted,” Mondiai said.