300 village court orders not enforced

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AN inspection by the Madang village court office has revealed that nearly 300 outstanding village court orders have not been enforced.
The inspection by acting provincial village court office’s administration assistant Desmond Sekum recently in seven village court settings on Karkar Island, Sumkar saw 292 outstanding village court orders that needed enforcement.
Of them 177 orders are (Form 8) for imprisonment and 115 (Form 6) village court orders. The orders were issued by the seven village courts on the island.
Sekum also discovered that there were 17 village court areas in the district, with none having a proper court house.
Sumkar Lands Officer Ben Keith said the orders needed the signature of a permanent district court magistrate to be enforced. Keith is overseeing village court matters in the district.
He said currently, the district did not have a permanent magistrate on the island due to housing problems and rundown courthouse.
“Form 8 needs the signature of a magistrate, and currently we are taking all forms to Madang for a magistrate to sign so they can be enforced.
Police are also having housing and logistics problems with run-down vehicles.
“They haven’t been working well together,” Keith said.
He said the district needed a lockup, and a new house for the magistrate.