Reject compo, report crimes

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
POLICE Minister William Onglo has advised parents to reject any offers of compensation for crime committed against their children.
He was commenting on a woman who was stopped by her in-laws from reporting to police the sexual assault of her son by a relative last month.
“When a crime is committed against a child, no relative or the suspect’s family has the right to compensate for the crime against the child,” Onglo said.
“The matter must be reported to the nearest police station and the law will deal with the suspect.”
The woman said her seven-year-old son was sexually assaulted by a relative in Central while visiting his father’s family on March 22.
The woman caught the suspect in the act on March 22. She was shocked by the reaction of her in-laws.
“My son was assaulted by someone who I trusted,” she said.
“That trust has been violated and my son’s grandparents told me that they didn’t want a complaint to be laid against the suspect because it would bring shame to the family.
“I couldn’t believe that they would not allow me to report the matter. This was a serious crime committed against a defenceless child.”
When she wanted to come to Port Moresby to report the matter to police, her in-laws told her that they did not want to make a big issue out of it.
“I reported the matter to my son’s father who stood by me and told me to go ahead and report the matter to police,” she said.
But she and her son were held back in the village for nearly a month.
“I finally told them I needed to visit my father. They let me and my two boys leave the village. I went straight to the Boroko police station and reported the matter.”
The suspect was brought to Port Moresby to be interviewed by police. He is expected to appear in court soon.