Touching without consent is assault

The National National

By JAMES GUMUNO
TOUCHING a person’s body without his or her consent is assault, says a magistrate.
Mt Hagen District Court Magistrate Lydia Karre said this yesterday after defendant Tau Naimu from Gabagaba village in Central, denied assaulting a student.
Naimu, the Highlands regional investigator for Bank of South Pacific (BSP), was arrested and charged with assault by Mt Hagen police.
Police said on Friday (Feb 14) at around 9.30am in front of the BSP building in Mt Hagen, Naimu allegedly slapped a student from Kiripia in the Tambul-Nebilyer electorate.
Police alleged Naimu struck the boy in the face and dragged him out of the bank.
The matter was reported to police and Naimu was arrested, charged and later released on a K200 bail.
Naimu denied slapping the boy.
He said the movement of the boy was suspicious and as he tried to enter the bank, he pushed him out to the security officers.
“I do not know what the security officers did to him.”
Karre told Naimu that even though he did not slap the complainant, he broke the law when he touched him and pushed him without his consent.
The court cautioned Naimu and discharged him and ordered his K200 bail money be refunded.

3 comments

  • What on earth can a assault be cautioned and not charged? What would be the case vice versa? So the noteable ones are immune to prosecute? The laws are for the little people not the so called big sort.

  • The defendant should be imprisoned as charged for the offence committed. Magistrate said it herself already that to touch a person is still an assault. Why cautioned and discharged/released.

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