Mother, baby lose limbs in rape attempt

National

A pregnant mother and her three-year-old child sustained serious knife wounds after a suspect attempted to rape the mother in Gulf province last week, acting Gulf police commander Inspector Michael Pakyei said yesterday.
“The mother and her child sustained wounds when the suspect, believed to be from the neighbouring village, chopped their limbs with a bush knife at Kukuta village at the border of Gulf and Central province.”
Pakyei said that the five-month pregnant mother was in the house with her child when the suspect, armed with a bush knife, approached them.
“Her husband and her eldest son had gone to  fetch water when the suspect came to the house last Tuesday at about 2.30pm,” he said.
“The suspect then asked her to have sex with him. The mother, realising that the man was not familiar with their village environment, suggested to have sex in the bush, where the man did not suspect a trap was set.
“So the mother with her child took him along a bush track leading to the well where her husband and son were.
“The suspect realised that he was been misled and chopped off both the mother’s hands. He also chopped the baby’s left heel and escaped into the bush.”
Pakyei said that the mother’s cries alerted the husband and the son, as well as the  other villagers. The mother and the baby were taken to the Iokea Health Centre.
“From there, they were taken to the Port Moresby General Hospital and are now recovering there,” he said.
Pakyei said that the villagers and  neighbouring villagers had a meeting and identified the suspect.
“The suspect escaped and is now hiding in Port Moresby. We have alerted police in Port Moresby to apprehend him,” Pakyei said.