Case of technicians charged with unlawful entry dismissed

THE District Court in Waigani, Port Moresby, has dismissed a case against five technicians charged with unlawful entry while maintaining a radio control tower during the Apec Leaders’ Summit last November.
The technicians were employees of Click TV PNG and TE PNG Limited who were arrested at Brigadier Hill in Port Moresby on Nov 15 installing a licensed radio link between Click TV towers.
Members of Joint Security Task Force arrested them claiming it was a restricted area.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar dismissed their case saying they were at work at the time.
“The witnesses have not been attending court.
“They haven’t shown any interest in pursuing the case,” he said.
“Probably, they must have realised that the charges were wrong,” Magistrate Bidar said.
Bidar said the case had been taking too long with no communication from the prosecutor.
Defence lawyer Douglas Jacob Siminji submitted that the police investigating officer had not provided any explanation for the delay.
He submitted that Brigadier Hill was not a restricted area and asked the court to dismiss the case.
The technicians were Petrus Komung, 23, from Milne Bay, Richard Silakau, 34, of New Ireland, Nelson Nakula, 38, from Central, Felix Bakani, 29, from Central, and Herbert Laura Maropo, 31, from Gulf.
Bakani and Maropo were employed by Click TV while the others worked for TE PNG Ltd.