Husband or wife deserting each other or children is criminal

 This front page newspaper report published by the National Newspaper on Thursday August 15, 2024 should serve as a deterrent to many people.

It should be seriously noted that if you're married, just deserting your marriage partner is a serious crime. 

Further, deserting children is serious. With children, if you take children away from the other natural parent without his or her knowledge and consent, is also criminal against the Criminal Code Act and punishable by law.

His Worship Paul Puri Nii is a very good magistrate if you are in his court and hear how he deals with cases.

He is a no nonsense magistrate. 

If you are in such predicaments search around for help to form a case and get justice.

You can reach out to me enanau@alumni.dwu.ac.pg 

I must also point out here that often the view is that women can get maintenance from men.

But it is now possible that men can claim maintenance from women if she deserts you.

Essentially this newspaper story imputes that many women are using so many excuses to satisfy their personal interest. They use excuses like violence. 

But there is a better approach to resolving them if there is evidence from any allegation against your partner or spouse.

Don't desert your partner or spouse. Don't desert your children. You can pay maintenance or you can go to jail, as in the newspaper story.

Exhaust all available avenues in the administrative justice systems before you opt to do the unthinkable. Use the attempts and approaches to resolve them with hard evidence.

If you have any issues, resolve them properly.

You have police, you have the family and sexual violence unit (FSVU), you have the welfare office, you have mediation and counselling services, then you have the courts.

But document them. You can't make speculative allegations claiming it was a period of donkey years. No. It's a no.

Courts can facilitate mediation through Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) as well.

If that fails it comes back to judges to adjudicate and make a ruling.

Follow set processes and resolve issues. Don't act by your emotions. You could make things more difficult and not in your acceptable favour. 

In the newspaper report, both accused have been jailed. That's the ultimate punishment.