No police evidence, soldier freed from rape charge

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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 Police prosecutor Sgt Christian Iga informed the court that the girl had earlier asked that the case be withdrawn, but it was refused by the court.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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