PNG’s new ‘adultery’ law

is for everyone

Papua New Guinea's proposed new law on adultery and enticement will apply to all people in Papua New Guinea, and not Just to “automatic citizens ” as under the present law.

Announcing the proposal, the chairman of the Law Reform Commission, Mr Bernard Narokohi, said that the existing law, part of the so-called Native Regulations, discriminated between automatic citizens and others.

Mr Narokohi said adultery would include both completed and attempted intercourse. It would also include any act of a sexual nature if it was, by custom, unlawful.

He said that enticement under the Native Regulations is an offence where a native induces a female native to have sexual intercourse with a man not her husband.

In the proposed law it is recommended that any person who persuades another to live apart from his or her spouse for the purpose of sexual intercourse with the enticer or some other person is guilty of the offence of enticement.

The proposed law provides for up to K2OO compensation or up to six months gaol for either offence.

Other features of the proposed law outlined by Mr Narokohi include: • A person can only be ordered to do community work or sent to prison if he refuses to pay compensation, • Village courts would be the main courts to deal with alleged offences only if there is no village court can a person be taken to a local court, • A magistrate would only make a decision if mediation between the parties failed, • Strict rules of evidence should not be applied, and courts should receive and consider any available relevant information.