Liliura’s application refused

By TREVOR WAHUNE
AN application filed by a suspended government department secretary to dismiss a sexual penetration case against him has been refused by a court and ordered to proceed.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar, in the Waigani Committal Court, yesterday, refused a motion filed by suspended Commerce and Trade Department secretary Andrew Liliura to dismiss a sexual penetration case against him.
Liliura, 50, from Bubusi village, Talasea, West New Britain, who appeared on K2,000 bail, was charged with four counts of sexual touching, three counts of sexual penetration, and three counts of compelling others to touch.
Police brief facts alleged that Liliura, at the Commerce and Industry Department in Waigani, Port Moresby, on Feb 18, allegedly touched a Megki Gaunts, on her breasts without her consent.
Gaunts is an employed keyboard operator at the department.
Liliura, at the time of the incident, allegedly went to Gaunts’s office, approached her and asked her what she was watching.
Liliura then allegedly kissed Gaunts, on her lips without her consent and forcefully sexually penetrated her using his fingers.
Gaunts in her statement, alleged that Liliura sexually harassed her on many occasions.
Liliura filed the application by way off motion on Sept 3 to seek orders to dismiss the entire proceeding upon grounds that the case was an abuse of process, and, through other ways, the court saw the matter as being inappropriate.
Liliura, through his lawyer, also argued that the matter was an abuse of process because the case was previously struck out by the Boroko District Court, but he was later re-arrested for the same charge.
Magistrate Bidar held that the former secretary was charged with a serious offence.
“Therefore the process to check if this is an indictable offence must take its course.”