Jamie Pang remains silent

SANCTUARY Hotel Operations Manager Jamie Pang continued to remain silent after he was ordered to appear in a committal court in Waigani yesterday.
Magistrate Paul Nii had ordered Pang, an Australian charged with raping a 20-year-old woman in Port Moresby last year, to be present in court to submit his declaration.
Pang, 43, from Sydney, continued to remain silent, Magistrate Nii then committed him to stand trial in the National Court for rape.
“Defendants in declaration statements can either submit it in writing, make an oral statement in court or remain silent, and Pang has exercised his rights to remain silent.
“This court’s decision is sustained that there is enough evidence against Pang to be tried in the National Court,” he added.
Pang was remanded in Bomana Prison until Monday for his matter to be listed in the National Court for trial.
On May 22, Magistrate Nii ruled that there was sufficient evidence in the police file that Pang allegedly raped Macki Jack in the hotel on Oct 20.
The issue on consent was raised in the case but, the court was satisfied that Jack did not give her consent for the alleged offence.
Magistrate Nii said Jack was under the influence of drug when the alleged offence took place.
He said consent should be given freely without fear or without being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
It was alleged that Jack and her friend, met Pang on their way up the stairs in the hotel heading to the friend’s boyfriend’s room.
They stayed in the boyfriend’s room and later, Jack was brought to Pang’s room.
Pang then allegedly told the others to leave Jack in his room and allegedly forced her to take the drug until she was high.
Pang then allegedly conducted a human immunodeficiency virus test on Jack and raped her without her consent.
It was further alleged that Pang’s driver sent Jack in a taxi to be taken home but the taxi driver allegedly raped her. Subsequently, it was alleged that Jack was also raped by a policeman.
Pang was arrested for alleged rape on Feb 21, while, he was detained in the Bomana Detention Centre for breaching his visa conditions by having firearms and drugs.
He pleaded guilty to breaching his visa conditions and was fined K4,500 by a district court.
Pang was denied bail twice, one in committal court and one in the National Court, due to the seriousness of the alleged offence and in the interest of justice.