Court refuses Koloma’s application

The National National

AN application sought by National Statistician Roko Koloma to have his warrants of arrest revoked has been refused by the Waigani Committal Court.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar refused three applications in which Koloma, through his lawyer Samuel Olewale, was seeking:

  • To revoke the warrants of arrest issued on April 13 because there was no course of action taken;
  • an application for contempt of court proceedings in which he was seeking to obtain a warrant of arrest to arrest and charge Detective Constable Richard Koipa of CID general squad of Boroko police station and National Statistical officers Bernard Kiele, Wens Tulem, Eric Adam and Ben Aitiu, who were involved in breaching court orders dated April 24 and 30; and,
  • An application questioning the representation of the police by a private law firm which was assisting police on a pro-bono basis.

Bidar stressed that the affidavits filed against Koloma to obtain his warrants of arrest stated grounds and reasons.
Bidar said the court ordered the warrant of arrest on allegations of official corruption.
“The police are entitled to apply for a warrant of arrest at any court and are entitled to carry out their constitutional duties,” Bidar said.
“The court is not satisfied and therefore it refuses and dismisses all the application by Roko Koloma.”
Bidar said police must carry out their constitutional duties.
The court also heard that the same application was filed at the civil court in the Port Moresby District Court and the court granted the application sought by Koloma .
Bidar however said the civil court matter could not stop criminal proceedings in the criminal court.