Court raises concern over release of detainees

By JAMES GUMUNO
THE Mt Hagen District Court has summons the officer in charge of the Mt Hagen police cell to explain why detainees were released without the court’s approval.
Magistrate Donald Joseph expressed concern yesterday when he found out that detainees were released by the police without obtaining orders from the court.
“The cell guards do not have any authority to release the offenders in the cell. What they did is totally wrong and I want the officer in charge to come and explain in court,” he said.
He said if he failed to appear in court tomorrow to explained, the officer concerned would be charged with contempt of court.
He found out that a person charged with being in possession of of marijuana was released from the police cell.
“The offender has in his possession 120 packs of marijuana and was preparing for his sentence when he walked out of the cell,” Joseph said. He said those remanded in cell by the court must be locked up in there and complete their case.
“Without any authourisation from the court, the police officers looking after the cell do not have any authority to release the offenders,” he said.
He said he would write to the provincial police commander and Mt Hagen police station commander expressing his concern.
Meanwhile, Magistrater Joseph issued a warning to junior prosecutors to prepare their cases well and assist the court.
He said that if they didn’t assist the court as they supposed to, they would face the consequence.
He said this after a junior female prosecutor gave her case to senior prosecutor Sgt Philip Poko to take it up on her behalf. The court found that it was not prepared well.
The court ordered her to be brought into the courtroom but, she was nowhere to be seen
So the court continued with other matters.