Dad gets 14 years for rape

A NATIONAL Court judge has likened the action of a father of nine raping his daughter to that of an animal.
Acting judge Justice David Maliku sentenced the man to 14 years in jail. His name has been withheld to protect his daughter’s identity.
The man, 44, and from Rabaul, East New Britain, was charged with the offence on March 26, 2005 at Gaulim, Gazelle district.
Maliku said the man had abused the relationship of authority and trust between him and his daughter.
The court heard that he had been having a sexual relationship with his daughter since 2003.
He began by sexually touching her. She became pregnant in 2005 and gave birth to a baby girl.
The state prosecutor submitted that the court should consider a tough custodial sentence as a deterrent because of the prevalence of such cases in the province.
The man told the court that he owned a cocoa block at Gaulim and if sentenced to jail, his family would have difficulty tending the block.
He asked to be allowed to pay some compensation to his daughter.
However, Maliku refused to consider the request saying the man had lied to the court about what he did to the daughter and wasted the court’s time although he was entitled to a fair trial.
“In 2005, you continued your sexual acts on the victim, raping her until she fell pregnant.
This shows some persistence by you. Your sexual acts towards your daughter are likened to that of an animal.”
Maliku told the man he had ruined her education and future when she became pregnant.