The PNG woman who laid the complaints against the diplomat said she felt humiliated by the incident. Photo: 123RF
A senior Papua New Guinea diplomat is the focus of a police sex crime investigation in Solomon Islands.
The Post-Courier reports Solomon Islands police saying they had received several complaints against the diplomat of sexual harassment and assault but have made no further comment.
The PNG woman who laid the complaints against the diplomat said she felt humiliated by the incident.
She said she was continuously harassed until the sexual assault occurred last weekend.
The woman said she feels threatened and fears for her life both in Honiara, and back home in in PNG where the alleged offender is always tracking her movements .
The re-installed PNG Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko has confirmed to the paper he is aware of the accusations involving the diplomat.
Foreign Affairs Department secretary Elias Wohengu won't comment until an internal investigation is completed.
Tkatchenko said if the allegations are true, the offender will be recalled home and dismissed from the Foreign Affairs Department.
He has expressed his concerns at the potential damage to the country's reputation, saying "we can't tolerate that sort of situation when it puts our name and our goodwill in jeopardy".
"Enough is enough. We only must have good quality Papua New Guineans."
Meanwhile, the diplomat who has been accused of the intimidation denies the allegations, claiming the issue was blown out of proportion.
The paper reports him saying he is ready to defend himself as he was in a relationship with the woman.
But the woman, who is married to a foreigner, says she was pursued, harassed, intimidated and eventually assaulted by the diplomat.