Out-of-court settlement ‘does not solve problem’

MAGISTRATE Danny Wakikura says trying to solve problems outside court by way of compensation does not resolve any legal problem.
“When a matter is before the court, the accused must attend court to deal with the matter accordingly,” he said.
Magistrate Wakikura made the remarks when charging a 21-year-old man who allegedly raped a 15-year-old girl a year ago in Port Moresby.
He ordered Cletus Molo, from Imbonggu’s Yangen village in Southern Highlands, to post an additional K500 bail.
Molo is alleged to have raped the girl more than once.
The first rape allegedly occurred during the first week of May 2020 at night when Molo told the victim to go to Lonely Bay in Erima.
The second rape allegedly occurred at noon on May 15, 2020, when Molo signalled the girl to meet him at the field at Erima when she was playing with some children under her house.
The girl went to meet Molo where she was allegedly raped.
It was alleged that on May 28, 2020, the girl’s uncle caught Molo and the girl on the field and questioned Molo while the girl ran away.
On the following day, the girl’s relatives asked her why she was with Molo on the field in the night and the girl told them what had happened.
The girl’s parents then lodged a police report and Molo was arrested.
Molo, during his record of interview with the police, admitted to the allegations and said he was in a relationship with the girl and that he had her consent as she never complained.
The matter was set for submission of police evidence on Feb 23.