PNG rapists sentenced while on the run

4:56 pm on 27 July 2016

Six men in Papua New Guinea have been sentenced to a combined total of 130 years in prison for the 2013 rape of an American biologist.

The attack took place on Karkar Island in Madang province where the scientist had gone for research with her husband and an official from the National Museum in Port Moresby.

The men robbed the group and tied up the husband before raping the woman and chopping off her hair.

The newspaper the National reports that only one of the guilty men attended the sentencing as the other five had escaped during earlier court sessions.

Four of the men, who had been convicted in absentia, were each sentenced to 24 years in prison and another, who escaped before the sentencing, received a 23 year jail term.

Warrants have been issued for the five men still on the run, while the only man not to escape was jailed for 11 years, nine and a half months.

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