A female expat has been brutally assaulted, raped and then abandoned in north Santo.

Police have arrested a suspect, who will soon be appearing in Court.

The victim is believed to be a woman who has been doing community work in Vanuatu for several years. She was reportedly on a mountain hiking trip from Big Bay, to the North West Coast of Santo, possibly with a local guide.

Responding to questions from the Daily Post, Willie Samuel, Assistant Commissioner of Police, and Commander of Police in the Northern District said, “The incident happened on the 2nd of August.

“A man was escorting a woman hiking through the bush, and they had to camp for the night halfway from the next village, because it was too far. The [perpetrator] then assaulted and raped the woman before fleeing.”

Later, Commander Willie Samuel explained that there had been a struggle between the victim and the perpetrator, and that the perpetrator had held a knife. The details of the case, he said, are still being investigated, and further interrogations with the suspect are due to take place.

“The woman managed to go to the next village, and told the chief. The next day they all travelled to Luganville. The suspect is still on the run, the police have attempted to make an approach on him, but the suspect ran away. Police then talked to the chiefs and asked them to assist in arresting him.”’

On Friday the 19th of August, the chiefs came to Luganville, bringing the suspect. The suspect was then arrested. Commander Willie Samuel said, “He was remanded in custody with the correctional services, and he will appear in Court on the 2nd of September”.

Commander Willie Samuel said the suspect is a 31-year old Ni-Vanuatu man from the Big Bay area. The Commander suggested there were no further victims, that he believed this was the first time the suspect had committed such an offence. READ MORE

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST