Accusers urged to appear in court

A MT Hagen District Court magistrate wants complainants to be present to help the court sort out their cases.
Magistrate Lydia Karre said yesterday that complainants should not leave their matters with police and stay away.
She said this while presiding over some traffic matters.
Nathan Koim, 35, from Sanap village in Baiyer, Western Highlands, denied damaging the rear mirror of a Toyota Landcruiser belonging to the Baiyer administrator.
Koim was arrested and charged with damaging property belonging to the Baiyer development authority.
Police alleged that on Sept 30, Koim, under the influence of alcohol, between 6 and 7pm damaged the rear mirror of the vehicle and it would cost K677 to replace it.
Koim, who appeared in court on a K200 police bail, earlier admitted damaging the mirror but later changed his plea to not guilty.
He admitted that he was drunk but denied damaging the mirror or threatening to burn it.
Magistrate Karre asked if any employee of Baiyer administration was present in the court but since no one had turned up, she adjourned the case to Nov 11 for trial.
In another traffic case, A’aron Chris, 22, from Mt Hagen Central, denied damaging a 25-seater bus with a coffee stick at Kaiwe market, outside Mt Hagen on Sunday night.
Police alleged that last Sunday, Chris, under the influence of alcohol, had used a coffee stick to damage a bus.
Police said the cost of repairing a dent on the bus was K869, according to a quotation received from a workshop.
The court asked for the complainant but she was not present so the matter was adjourned to Nov 13.