4 May 2004

PNG prosecutor chided for sentence criticism

1:18 pm on 4 May 2004

A public prosecutor in Papua New Guinea may have to appear before the Lawyers Statutory Committee for criticising the lightness of the sentence handed out in a rape case.

The Secretary of the committee said he had received a complaint against the prosecutor, Chronox Manek, from the acting National Court Judge.

Justice George Manuhu was presiding over the case in Lae where a former deacon was given a seven year suspended sentence and placed on a two-year good behaviour bond for rape.

The prosecutor, Chronox Manex, told the Post-Courier newspaper that he appreciated the court's sentencing discretion, but the case had clearly fallen into the worst category of aggravated rapes.

He also said that the prosecution in that case had urged the court to impose a custodial sentence citing the sentencing guidelines imposed by the Supreme Court on cases of rape.