Guinness: Arrest the rapist

By JIMMY KALEBE
NORTHERN Region commander ACP Peter Guinness says he wants the Grade 12 schoolboy who allegedly raped a Grade 8 schoolgirl in Madang’s Rai Coast on Jan 18 to be arrested and charged.
“I will discuss with and instruct the Madang police commander to arrest the perpetrator. Those relatives who settled for the compensation will also be questioned as to why they allow such a criminal case to be settled out of court.
“Currently many people think of the money that they will get from the compensation payment.
“They forgot all about the trauma that the victim has to bear for the rest of her life.
“Compensation payment has become a way out for perpetrators of serious crimes, especially cases of rape, causing grievous bodily harm and others,” he added.
He said paying compensation for any criminal offence under the Criminal Code Act (CCA) is akin to obstructing the course of justice.
Commenting on The National’s front page report yesterday titled “Rape compo”, ACP Guinness said rape was already an indictable offence and the perpetrator must be charged in court and “let the court decide either to give compensation or any other punishments”.
“Any offence that falls under the CCA should not be settled out of court.
“And that means payment of compensation of any sort should not be entertained,” he added.
He said in cases where so much compensation had been paid for any serious crime that falls under the CCA, police would still arrest the perpetrator (s) no matter what.
ACP Guinness warned people to refrain from accepting compensation for serious crimes as police would still arrest those who were suspected to have committed a CCA crime, irrespective of compensation being paid. On the police toll free communication in Madang, ACP Guinness said there were instances when police personnel were not available to answer calls.
“Sometimes it is simply because policemen are not at work.
“I will talk to Madang PPC to come up with a solution,” he said, adding that the divisional command was linking up Eastern Highlands, Madang and Lae so that any police toll-free centre could respond immediately.