New Zealander held for rape

A 50-year-old New Zealand citizen was arrested on Friday for allegedly raping two girls, police said.

David William Wakefield did not resist when a warrant for his arrest was presented by police and staff members of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said Supt. Renante Gabico, Kidapawan City police chief.

Citing police and DSWD records, Gabico said Wakefield molested two girls, aged 12 and 13, in a hotel in Davao City last week.

Wakefield works for a certain Mecs Labor Hiring Co. based in Mozambique, Gabico said. The official said the girls positively identified Wakefield when they accompanied lawmen to a hotel where he was staying before flying to Manila en route to Mozambique.

Policemen recovered Wakefield’s mobile phone with nude photos of the complainants. Gabico said charges of statutory rape and human trafficking would be filed against the foreigner, who is detained at the city police detention cell. Edwin O. Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao