Court adjourns cop’s case

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
A COURT has adjourned the case of a policeman charged with false pretence and abuse of office because police want to nominate another prosecutor.
Senior magistrate Cosmas Bidar adjourned the case of Silas Mero, 44, after he was informed by the police arresting officer that they had nominated another prosecutor to deal with the case.
Bidar said he wanted to know why they had to change the prosecutor.
Lawyer Greg Konjib representing Mero told the court that the changing of the prosecutor was an abuse of process.
The case is currently handled by prosecutor Sergeant Joseph Sangam.
He told Konjib to make a submission on the matter on July 27 when the case returns to court.
Mero from Maprik in East Sepik, is alleged to have removed a police vehicle from the workshop at the police headquarters in Konedobu and took it to another workshop at 7-Mile.
Police alleged that the vehicle was left to the owner of the workshop to use.
An investigation sanctioned by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) found that Mero, the officer in charge of the mechanical section, had taken the vehicle to the workshop at Seven-Mile.
He was arrested and charged with false pretence and abuse of office.
He appeared in court last Thursday. He is on a K1000 extended bail.