The Supreme Court has confirmed a National Court conviction and sentence of 15 years for a man who sexually assaulted a 15-year-old five years ago in Port Moresby.
Paul Pisa today went before the Supreme Court with his appeal against conviction.
He was convicted by the Waigani National Court on 16 March 2017 following a trial and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on 20 April 2017.
The victim in the case was 15 years at the time of the incident and bore a child on June 22, 2014, as a result. She was sexually assaulted between Sept 1 and Sept 18, 2013, at Redhill at Gerehu.
He argued the appeal before the full court on seven main grounds.
- No medical report was done on the victim within 24 hours of the alleged offence being committed;
- There was no evidence to prove age of victim that she was 15 years old at the time;
- No official report was made to police;
- There was no DNA test done to confirm he fathered the child she bore;
- There was no report to prove how she was sexually penetrated;
- His arrest was effected 7 months after offence was committed;
- Family of victim demanded K150,000 as compensation, which he refused to pay as the child was not his.
He also put to court that the victim made a political conspiracy against him.
He said he could not bring in any witnesses during the trial as his relatives were attending to election last year.
The Supreme Court ruled all the seven grounds did not have any merit, dismissing his appeal.
The conviction of the National Court was confirmed by the Supreme Court.