Convicted human trafficker will be charged for absconding court

CONVICTED human trafficker and rapist Willie Gare will be charged for absconding court during the handing down of his sentence, Asst Comm of Police for crimes Hodges Ette says.
Gare, 47, from Korokoa village in Gumine, Chimbu, was sentenced to 20 years last Dec 24, (in absentia) for trafficking six women from Central to Chimbu and raping one of them in 2015.
ACP Ette said Gare would also be charged for being at large for over two months after the court issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
Gare surrendered to police in Kundiawa last Tuesday.
He said he had been sick and had changed his phone number and, therefore, did not know of the ruling date. However, police maintained Gare knew his court date for his ruling.
ACP Ette confirmed yesterday that Gare was in custody at Barawaghi prison awaiting the decision for which prison he would serve his sentence at.
Justice Panuel Mogish presiding in the National Court in Bomana last Nov 21, convicted Gare on six counts of trafficking persons and one count of rape.
He was out on bail then and after conviction, State lawyer Solomon Kuku applied for Gare to be incarcerated at Bomana but Justice Mogish used his discretion and extended bail on the condition that he returned to court last Dec 4.
Gare failed to show up and attempts by his lawyer to contact him were unsuccessful.
It was alleged that Gare changed his phone numbers and went into hiding. On Dec 24, Justice Mogish handed down Gare’s decision on sentence and issued a bench warrant for his arrest.