Court promises to get tough

By JIMMY KALEBE
A 23-YEAR-old man from Yambo village in the Labuta local level government area of Nawaeb district, Morobe, has been issued a warrant of remand by the Lae Committal Court for alleged sexual penetration of a minor.
Committal Court Magistrate Pious Tapil told the accused, Lucas Tackwa, in court yesterday that sexual penetration was getting out of hand in communities and courts would now try its best to protect vulnerable people.
“The court is doing its best to protect those minors who are always the victims of such incidents,” he said.
“Many of the perpetrators are those known to the victims.”
Magistrate Tapil told Tackwa that in the meantime, he would be remanded at Buimo jail for the next three months to await his police file to be completed.
“This court does not allow bail for such cases but you can engage a lawyer to make a proper bail application later,” he told the accused.
Tackwa will appear for mention on Feb 1.
His alleged act of sexual penetration on a child, aged 14, contravened the PNG Criminal Code Sexual Offence and Crimes Against Children Act.