Deacon accused of rape

A SEVENTH-day Adventist Church deacon from Manus, who was arrested and charged by police on two counts of rape and sexual touching early last week, appeared before the Lorengau committal court for mention yesterday.
The matter was adjourned to June 12 for mention with the deacon to be remanded in custody.
In another police report from Manus, a male expatriate was charged with sexual touching and appeared before the Lorengau District Court on Friday.
Manus police commander Chief Inspt David Yapu said the matter was adjourned to June 17 for the court to make ruling on whether there was sufficient evidence to commit the suspect to stand trial in the national court.
The suspect is out on an extended K15,000 national court bail.
Meanwhile, Yapu was concerned with the number of asylum seekers attempting suicide.
Yapu said last Tuesday and on Sunday three asylum seekers attempted suicide.
He said two men tried to hang themselves while the other one doused himself in petrol and tried to set himself on fire.
“In another related incident, an asylum seeker tried to set fire to a building he was accommodated in,” Yapu said.
The incidents were reported to police and PNG Immigration officers brought the injured men to Lorengau hospital for treatment.
According to medical reports received from the Lorengau hospital most of these refugees had developed severe depression and were likely to suffer from mental disorders related to their prolonged detention.