Man charged with raping daughter to know fate soon

By CLARISSA MOI
A 45-YEAR-OLD man who is charged with raping his 15-year-old biological daughter two years ago will know his fate next week.
Acting Judge Justice Camillus Sambua at the National Court in Bomana yesterday said he would fix a day next week to deliver a judgment after hearing submissions yesterday.
The man (name withheld to protect the victim) is alleged to have started raping his daughter from June 2018, to July 21, 2019, when the matter was reported.
The alleged offences took place in their family house, garden hut and mustard garden.
On July 21, 2019, between 10pm and midnight, the father allegedly raped his daughter in the presence of her stepmother.
The next day, the daughter escaped and sought help from a community child protection volunteer.
She was then taken to a health centre.
She was then taken to a safe house in Port Moresby for safety and to seek medical attention on July 23, 2019.
Defence counsel from the Public Prosecutor’s office, Rachael Mange, submitted that the accused did not rape her as there was no evidence that he did.
But, State lawyer Solomon Kuku argued that there was compelling evidence that the accused had raped his daughter.
“The two State witnesses’ evidences was corroborated by relevant documents tendered,” he said.