Man on rape charge refused bail for safety

 By Douglas Deseng
A man from Eastern Highlands charged with sexual penetration of a minor was refused bail by the Waigani Committal Court for his own safety.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar refused to grant bail to Robin Roge after learning from a police report that the accused and the victim lived in the same apartment at Gabutu.
“It is a requirement of safety for the accused to be kept in custody because the relatives of the victim all live in the same building and a threat of violence and retaliation is most likely to occur.”
The court heard that from January 31 to August 31, 2015, Roge, an employee of Patricks Transport, had sexually penetrated the six-year-old.
Bidar told the court that the accused had on several occasions exposed his private parts to the victim, forced her onto his bed and penetrated her.
Bidar said the case was still fresh and the court was awaiting further police investigations and reports from doctors as well. The accused was advised to seek legal assistance to apply for bail.