No police evidence, soldier freed from rape charge
News that matter in Papua New Guinea
No police evidence, soldier freed from rape
charge
PORT MORESBY: A committal court in Waigani has struck
out a charge against a soldier who allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl because
of lack of police evidence.
Magistrate Paul Puri Nii
told Nelson Pap, 30, from Enga, that police failed to provide any evidence, “so
the case is struck out and your bail of K500 be refunded”.
“You are a soldier and a
law enforcer, so you should go back and protect the women and girls in your
community and not harm or hurt them,” he added.
The court proceedings were reported by The National:
Soldier’s rape case
struck out
October 27, 2022The
NationalMain Stories
By GEORGINA KOREI
A MAGISTRATE has struck out a charge against a soldier who allegedly raped a
17-year-old girl because of a lack of police evidence.
Waigani Committal Court Magistrate Paul Puri Nii told Nelson Pap, 30, from
Enga, that police failed to provide any evidence, “so the case is struck out
and your bail of K500 be refunded”.
“You are a soldier and a law enforcer, so you should go back and protect the
women and girls in your community and not to harm or hurt them,” Magistrate Nii
said.
Pap had earlier asked court that the case be dismissed because it had been
called every now and then for the past year, but police had provided no
evidence. Police prosecutor Sgt Christian Iga informed the court that the girl
had earlier asked that the case be withdrawn, but it was refused by the court.
Since then, no one had been assisting the police investigation.
Police alleged that on Nov 30, 2021, Pap took the girl to a lodge and had sex
with her without her consent.
Pap was arrested by police, but denied the allegation.
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