Charged with contempt

A MAGISTRATE has issued a warning to court users not to interfere with accused people in the courtroom when court proceedings are in session as there will be severe consequences of contempt.
Committal Court Magistrate Albert Daniels issued the warning when he ordered police to lock up Constable Kerry Palme and the mother of an accused involved in a drug case when they interrupted the court proceeding by distracting the accused in the dock.
“Anyone coming into the courtroom as a court user should respect the courtroom and not make noise or interfere with the court process as you will be charged with contempt and will be locked up,” he said.
“The courtroom should be a quiet place where all accused persons can only listen to the magistrate or judge presiding over their cases and not the crowd in the courtroom, distracting them while the courts are in progress as that is contempt.”
The contempt case arose during the hearing of the case against Cecilia Kumbakor, 19 from Nuku, West Sepik who is charged with possession of methamphetamine and its implements along with Sophia Noria, 22, from Tambul, Western Highlands, Maggie Kumb, 26, and Issac Ipatas, 30, both from Enga.
Magistrate Daniels ordered Palme to take the dock and explain why he had been signalling Kumb while she was in the dock when the case was in progress. Palme told the court that he was one of the witnesses in the substantive case against the four accused and the case was not for arraignment.
However, Magistrate Daniels was not convinced with the explanation from Palme and ordered the police to lock Palme in the holding cell along with the Cecelia Kumbakor (Snr) who is the mother of one of the accused.
“I am not convinced with your explanation so you will be locked in the holding cells and reflect on what you have done in the courtroom and you can be released after the rising of this court,” he told Palme.
“Whatever your explanation is in this case, you have no rights to interfere with the accused when the court proceeding is on.
“May this be a lesson to you and everyone not to interfere with court proceedings.”
Palme is also in court facing a charge of being in possession of methamphetamine and its implements that is connected to the four accused.
Palme is out on a K3,000 bail due to medical reasons.
Meanwhile, Cecilia Kumbakor’s mother was also signalling her while she was in the dock and the court ordered for her to be locked up with Palme until the court was adjourned and they were both released.
They will both be appearing in court facing charges of contempt.
The case returns to court on June 7 for trial.