The Governor of Papua New Guinea's Madang province, James Yali, has appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to charges related to the alleged rape of his 17-year-old sister-in-law.
The girl was attending a high school in Madang and living with Mrs Yali in Madang town at the time of the alleged crimes.
The National newspaper reports that the case began yesterday with state prosecutor, Nicholas Miviri, stating that the case was one of sex without consent.
He told the court that the girl was under the legal age of consent at the time of the alleged rape and thus was not capable of consenting.
The offences are alleged to have taken place in the Provincial Government office in October last year.
