Accused arrested twice for same offence, pays bail twice

AN accused told the Mt Hagen District Court that he was arrested twice and paid police bail twice for the same offence.
Chris Tatu, 46, from Bogia, Madang, told the court yesterday that he was arrested on Dec 22, charged at around 2pm and released on a K200 police bail.
While in police custody, he was re-arrested at around 5pm and police imposed another K500 bail and he paid K300 and came out, he said.
“I told the second arresting officer that I had already paid K200 police bail for the same offence and he released me on K300 bail again,” Tatu told the court.
He told the court that he paid a total of K500 for police bail.
Senior magistrate Betty Jacob told him that during trial, the court would find out who was the genuine arresting officer. Police prosecutor Stanley Lesley told the court that Tatu was arrested for allegedly assaulting his wife Serah Nickson while under the influence of alcohol at New Town in Mt Hagen.
Lesley told the court that Nickson was a policewoman and was allegedly assaulted on the face, which he denied.
Police alleged that Tatu attacked his wife and swore at his children at night. Tatu was then arrested and charged with assault under the Family Protection Act and released on a K500 police bail.
“I did not attack my wife and slapped her on her face, I was only using some abusive language against my children,” he told the court.
Tatu pleaded not guilty and the court adjourned the matter to Feb 7.