Man charged with rape of teacher awaits sentencing in custody

By ALPHONSE PORAU
A man convicted of raping a teacher in Gulf has been remanded in custody to await sentencing.
Peter Manase, 42, from Karama village in Gulf, appeared before the National Court yesterday for submission on sentence. He was charged with a count of sexual penetration of a woman without her consent.
Justice Danajo Koeget preserved the right yesterday at the Waigani National Court for a lawyer from the Public Solicitor’s office, representing the prisoner,  to make further submissions on mitigation of sentence.
Koeget told the court that the prisoner was convicted previously for homicide, and now rape, and the lawyer had to explain why he should not be given the maximum penalty.
The count heard that on May 3, between 7pm and 8pm, the prisoner was at the victim’s house at Karama Primary School.
The victim at that time was looking after the prisoner’s daughter.
He called the victim out of her house and verbally threatened her to have sex with him.
He was armed with a bush knife.
Out of fear for her safety, she complied and followed the prisoner into a banana patch behind her house, where he sexually penetrated her without her consent.
The prisoner will appear again in court on Nov 21 for further submissions before sentence.