Court orders re-arrest of Asian expats

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

A COURT last Friday forfeited a bail sum of K60,000 paid by 12 expatriate men and ordered their re-arrest after they failed to turn up in court.

The eight Bangladesh and six Chinese nationals were charged last week for breaching immigration laws. 

Lae District Court magistrate Nasaling Bingtau issued warrants of arrest to police to apprehend the men and bring them to court to answer to their charges.

The men were picked up by the Task Force Rausim Alien last Wednesday in different locations of Lae city and charged for remaining in the country without valid visas and for failing to meet their visa obligations.

The police prosecution read the names of the men in court a number of times but none of them were present. Police asked the court if their bail be forfeited and they be re-arrested and Bingtau agreed to the application. 

The men were on bail of K5,000 each. 

The court noted that despite being released on bail there were no bail receipts produced by police.

When asked why the suspects were released without a bail receipt, Rausim Alien coordinator John Bria said they have done their part by arresting and charging the suspects and the matter was now with Lae police as the men were detained at the police cells.

“We will execute the warrant but this time would be a different approach,” he added.

Lae police operations commander Insp Fred Kaiwa said he was not aware of the matter and would seek information from his officers.

He said only the police station commander and the metropolitan superintendent had the authority to grant bail to offenders.