A MAN, 64, was jailed 20 years with hard labour after being found guilty of persistently raping his two step-daughters in Papua New Guinea, the National reports.
He was given 55 years in total taking into account each count, but reductions, pre-sentence time in prison and his age finally left him with 20 years.
Justice John Kaumi in the National Court in Buimo when sentencing the man, from Kabwum in Morobe, said rape was a crime of violence and invasion of the most private part of a female.
The court heard that between January, 2017, and Jan 31, 2019, he committed four counts of rape on one step-daughter and once on the other.
Justice Kaumi said the man would serve 10 years for each of the first four counts, totalling 40 years.
He said another 15 years were to be added for the other daughter and the prisoner was to serve a total of 55 years.
“You spent three years and nine months in custody already so the court will deduct that from the 55 years. The court, in considering your age, will further deduct 30 years and three months, which brings the total to 20 years that you will spend in prison,” Justice Kaumi said.
Justice Kaumi said the sentence should serve as a deterrent to step-fathers and step-brothers who rape family members, especially female members.
“The justice system is trying its best to ensure such prevalent offences in the society is minimised as much as possible. Men cannot go around and sexually abuse their female family members at their own will,” he said.
The court heard that the man had sex with his step-daughters while working for a government department in Lae.
Justice Kaumi made an order on the man’s request that he would serve his sentence at Bihute Prison in Eastern Highlands.
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