Man accused of defilement to stand trial

By BOURA GORUKILA
HAVING sex with or without consent is immaterial, what matters is the age of the victim, a magistrate told a man accused of defilement.
Waigani Committal Court Magistrate Cosmas Bidar made the statement when committing to trial in the National Court the 23-year-old-man charged with having sex with an underaged girl.
Magistrate Bidar said there was sufficient evidence found against Arnold Peter, of Nabak in Morobe and ordered that he appear on June 22 for listing.
“I have found that there is sufficient evidence to commit your case to the National Court,” Magistrate Bidar.
“And it (National Court) will go through the evidences and tell you whether you have broken the law or not.”
Magistrate Bidar asked him if he had anything say in relation to section 96 of the District Court regulations but Peter declined.
According to police evidence, Peter was allegedly seen drinking with the girl’s brothers at around 1pm at Gerehu Stage 5 last Aug 18.
He then went to a nearby tuck shop to buy more beer.
Later that night, at around 1am, he called the girl to drink with him, which she agreed to.
When she was drunk, he had sex with her.
The girl, from a mixed background of Western Highlands, East Sepik and Central, was 14 years old at the time.
She reported the matter to her father and a complaint was laid at Gerehu Police Station where Peter was arrested and charged with sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16.