Sex abuse case heard

By BOURA GORUKILA
A MAN, 61, charged with persistent sexual abuse of a child, was yesterday remanded by Waigani Committal Court Magistrate Tracy Ganaii.
He was accused of raping an 11-year-old girl at Wild Life Zone One, First Block, in the National Capital District on several occasions.
At one stage, the accused Gabriel Mendiken, of Londol village in Ambum, Kompiam, Enga, between Jan 1 and April 23 this year, abused the girl with an accomplice, who was from Tari.
They allegedly abused the girl between 7pm and 8pm on different occasions and lured her with K2 and K5.
On April 23, at around 7pm, both wanted to lure her again and called her into their yard.
She was in their premises when her parents called for her.
The girl hid among vehicles parked in the yard when she saw her father approaching.
She then came out of hiding and told her father that Mendiken and the other man had told her to go inside.
Mendiken was arrested and taken to Gordon Police Station and detained. On April 24, the girl was taken to Boroko where an interview was conducted to ascertain the alleged offences.
Mendiken was transferred to Boroko on April 25 and interrogated, formally arrested and charged with persistent sexual abuse.
The matter returns to court on June 24 for mention.