‘Get court reports right’

ACTING Public Prosecutor Jim Wala Tamate said yesterday that inaccurate court reporting can have a negative impact on the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the courts who are trying to uphold the law and bring justice to all.
Mr Tamate said this when pointing out inaccuracies in The National’s front page story “Go get them” last Friday about applications for warrants of arrest for Bomana escapees William Kapris and 11 others.
He said it it was not the police who appeared and made the applications, as reported.
“It was the State Prosecutor of the Office of the Public Prosecutor.”
Mr Tamate also said that the report incorrectly stated that section 139 of the Constitution was the authority with which the police could rely on to arrest the escapees without a bench warrant from the court.
“The correct provision for the authority for the police to act without a bench warrant is section 3 of the Arrest Act, chapter 339,” he said.
Mr Tamate said that section 139 which Justice Ere Kariko was referring to was of the Criminal Code, not the Constitution as reported.
He said this section was the offence province for escape under which the escapees could be charged when recaptured.