Cases hiccup

By JIMMY KALEBE
A JUDGE has advised State lawyers to expedite the hearing of cases so that the “backlog” which has been a concern for some time for the judiciary can be cleared quickly.
Judge Frazer Pitpit expressed his disappointment in the National Court in Lae yesterday when requested by a lawyer from the Public Solicitor’s Office to adjourn the hearing of at least five criminal cases because the files were yet to be completed.
Justice Pitpit, while granting the adjournment of some cases, said the justice system was trying to deal with the backlog of cases in the courts quickly as had been promised to the people. But some State officials were not helping.
“We go out in public and make commitments to give our best in addressing the backlog of cases that we experience here. But we are not doing enough to really get at it,” he said.
The State lawyer explained to the court that nine criminal cases committed in May by the District Court were not ready to be presented to the National Court.
He said the listed cases had to be adjourned because the files from the district court were yet to be received.
And he also could not visit the accused persons remanded at Buimo Prison because of transport problems.
Justice Pitpit said the excuse was not good enough. He said the delay in preparing the cases was “dragging” down the justice system.
The cases adjourned yesterday would be called again on Aug 6.
During the opening of the Legal Year in Port Moresby early this year, Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia dwelt on the mounting number of cases and the need for between 80 to 100 judges to deal with them.
Meanwhile, a village court magistrate has had his K1000 bail money set aside by the National Court and remanded in custody to await trial.
Magistrate Paul Konili, of Ga-wam village in Nawaeb district, was charged with conspiring to kill someone in Lae on Oct 12 last year.
Konili was committed to stand trial at the National Court by the Lae District Court and granted a bail of K1000.
His bail was set aside yesterday after the court found that since his committal, he had not visited the Public Solicitor’s Office to give his side of the story for the preparation of his case.
He will appear at the National Court today for a pre-trial hearing.