Court dismisses sex abuse charge

The Waigani Committal Court has dismissed a case of a man charged with sexual abuse of a minor after finding that the victim was not under the age of 16.
Gideon Koi, 28, from Tambul, Western Highlands, was arrested and charged with rape after the victim claimed to be under 16 at the time of the offence.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar went through the evidence and found that the victim’s birthdate was July 19, 2001, and the offence took place on April 15, last year which made her 16 years and 9 months old so the charge of sexual abuse of a minor was not applicable.
The man was discharged and the case dismissed.