Re Kepo Raramu and Yowe Village Court

• Jurisdiction: Papua New Guinea
• Court: National Court
• Citation: [1994] PNGLR 486
• Year: 1994

National Court: Doherty J

Judgment Delivered: 22 November

Check to see if judgment delivered in 1993 or 1994.

Press Esc to close

1993

1 Constitutional law—imprisonment for violation of custom which is applied to women but not men—whether contrary to equality provision, Constitution s55

2 Customary law—custom barring widow from going around with another man—oppressive—applied to women, not men—contrary to Constitution and inconsistent with inherent dignity of mankind

___________________________

Doherty J: Kepo Raramu has been sentenced to a term by the Village Court of 6 months imprisonment because as a widow, she has gone around with another man.

I am well aware of the custom in many areas that says women whose husbands have died are not to go around with another man. I have come across such a custom in Ninigos Islands in the Manus Province and Tigidu in Morobe Province. I do not know of any equivalent customs that says a man whose wife has died are not allowed to go around with other woman...