Man gets 17 years for raping daughter

 By ADRIAN MATHIAS

A 43-YEAR-old Central man has been jailed for 17 years for sexually abusing his own daughter.

Justice Panuel Mogish said the man from Hula village in the Rigo district had sexually abused his daughter since 2005.

“The victim, now 19, was only 11 at the time when she was first sexually abused by her father,” Mogish read from his written judgment at the Bomana National Court outside Port Moresby last Friday.

Mogish said he could have sentenced the man to life imprisonment because he had sexually abused his daughter on more than one occasion, there was also big age difference of 25 years and threats and force were used during the encounters. 

The court noted no reports on pregnancy and transmission of disease. 

“Had there been pregnancy and transmission of disease, a sentence of more than 25 years would be appropriate,” the judge said. 

“The first incident happened in 2005 in the bedroom. Your daughter and your other children were asleep in your bedroom when you crept up to her and pulled her trousers and pants down but stopped when your wife called for you. That was the moment that completely changed your attitude towards your daughter. You treated her like a slave – someone that you can play with at your own leisure and time to satisfy your lust,” Mogish told the man.

He said the occurrences of sexual abuses continued on at Hula village, at Korobosea in NCD and at Gabagaba in Central in 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively.

The judge said in November 2008, the victim reported the matter to her cousin sister who informed other relatives and they reported to police.

He said daughters were precious and should be protected from harm at all times. 

“But you preyed on your daughter as if she was not part of your flesh and blood. 

“For a father to sexually abuse his own daughter for his own gratification is unthinkable and also amounts to incest.

“Your daughter now carries a scare which will be difficult to heal. You have wrecked her future and that you must be ashamed of.

“I am going to make sure that you stay out of her life for a very long time to allow her time to get over her ordeal.”

Mogish deducted two months and two weeks for time spent in custody.