Complainant runs away, woman free

A MAGISTRATE has dismissed a case of a woman charged with causing grievous bodily harm after police and the complainant failed to provide evidence as ordered by a Waigani committal court.
Magistrate Paul Puri Nii yesterday said there might not be any progress to this case after he was informed by the defendant that complainant Jethro Kengi had run ran away to Southern Highlands.
“He (Kengi) knows he’s got the (compensation) money from you and ran away to Southern Highlands,” he told the defendant.
“I gave orders on June 27 that the application you had made to withdraw the information because you had already paid compensation was refused and the matter had been adjourned for police to provide evidence and Kengi was ordered to refund K5,600 to you.
“I will dismiss your case but I will make an order that Kengi must still refund your money.”
When asked why Kengi ran away, defendant Merry Wanpis, 51, from Sumia village in lower Mendi, Southern Highlands, said he saw the story in The National newspaper published on July 6, and did not want to come to court so he ran away.