A case involving the abduction and sexual penetration of a three-year-old girl has been committed to the Lae National Court by Morobe’s senior provincial magistrate, Pious Tapil.
The committal court heard today that 25-year-old Paul Stony, from Henganofi in Eastern Highlands Province, allegedly abducted the three-year-old in front of her family’s store at Four-Mile on Friday, October 7th, 2022.
The toddler was with her mother and grandmother, who were selling betelnut and cold water in front of the store.
According to the police report, her mother left her with her grandmother and went to the house to get more containers of water. She returned five minutes later to find the toddler missing.
Witnesses described the defendant to the mother, who then alerted the community and they helped to search for the child until the next day Saturday, October 8th, 2022.
“At about 8am, the defendant was seen at Raikos market, where he was held and taken to the victim’s house and questioned. He said that he took the child and left her at One-Mile.”
Members of the community took the defendant in a vehicle to One-Mile, where they saw a woman with the girl. They questioned her and she told them that the defendant had sold the child to her for K500.
The child was taken to the Three-Mile Police Station where a police report was filed, then she was brought to the Family Support Centre for a medical examination.
Magistrate Tapil said nurses checked the girl and reported lacerations on her body and her private part.
“There is sufficient evidence on file to prove elements of sexual penetration. And there is evidence on file to prove that he removed her from her mom with the intention to sell.”
The case will come before the National Court on Monday, February 27th.