Officer facing sex charge
By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
AN Australian army officer accused of exposing himself and asking a female PNG medical officer in Port Moresby to “have a feel” of his groin for a lump is facing a court martial.
Captain William Michael Howieson, 29, is facing charges of indecency and bringing discredit to the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The incident happened while he was serving as a liaison officer at the Taurama Barracks during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders’ Summit in Port Moresby in November 2018.
PNG Defence Force Chief Of Staff Captain Philip Polewara yesterday confirmed that the ADF officer was facing a court martial in Canberra for the alleged sexual harassment of the female PNG officer.
He said while the incident happened in PNG on a PNG citizen, Capt Howieson was taken back to Australia to face their own military court martial.
Polewara said PNG officers “as witnesses are cooperating with the court martial through a video link from Port Moresby”.
On Monday, the PNG medical officer told the court martial through a video link that the officer had exposed himself to her during a medical examination in which he had claimed to have a lump in his groin.
She said Capt Howieson had arrived in exercise gear.
When she felt no lump, he allegedly pulled his pants down a second time which she strongly objected to.
She told the court it was unusual for an Australian military officer to seek medical help from a PNG military health facility.
She said he later returned with an unsigned doctor’s note that asked for semen collection over five days, suggesting he needed her help. The hearing is being held in front of a five-member panel of senior ADF officers who act as a jury.
The trial is expected to take nearly two weeks.
10 comments
Hope this does not disturb military ties between PNG and Australia
his not fit to be a soldier
Man, a commissioned officer. What was he thinking?
Breaking the code of ethics, brew!!. His conduct is uncalled for.
He should be properly charged; thus bringing shame to your uniform, to your superiors who enlisted you, your country and more importantly your family.
What a disgrace. And for our female officer, good on you. That is sexual harassment and should never be tolerated.
Not a big issue, she should only touch it and it solve…. why taking to court?
Maybe upon agreement, go ahead to court process and make further investigation and find out.
He is one of the Best Australian Defence Staff Officer to have served with the Unit. As done alot in his tenure as the ADSLO to Taurama Barracks. However, this allegation is misleading and confusing for us PNGDF soldiers and Officers who knew about him. This allegations are made due to culture difference; Australian or PNG doesn’t matter, all medical facilities are there to serve everyone and one cannot say it is unusual for an Australian Army Officer to come get treatment. He went their to get help with his medical condition, why bringing such information to the public. I know he will come out clear on this case but his good name is destroyed because of the leaking out of confidential information.
This is not a confidential Information, this is pure WORK PLACE HARASSMENT, why cant he asked a male medical officer to attend to him?
What a big shame for the Officer! He should be changed greatly!
It was an Australian serviceman and thanks to God they have aggressive military rules and process when serving in foreign lands. I don’t believe if it was a PNGan servicemen doing that to our own womenfolk that military justice would be served.
We simply do not have the capacity they have, so cases like this should wake up the military to be prepared when accepting and accommodating foreign military into our service. it’s akeen to revisiting WW2
where painful memories linger of WW2 victims who were forced to the service of foreign soldiers, even Australians were not immune.
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