Court rejects application

By BOURA GORUKILA
AN application filed by Adam Chin Cheah for the return of his property confiscated by police during the execution of a search warrant was refused by Magistrate Tracy Ganaii yesterday
Magistrate Ganaii made the ruling at the Waigani Committal Court after police prosecutor Sgt Joseph Sangam objected to Cheah’s application because it was an abuse of process as police had acted on a court order to obtain the items.
Sgt Sangam told the court that in order for Cheah’s property to be returned, he (Cheah) should have filed for the search warrant to be set aside so that the properties would be available for him to reclaim.
“Before you do that, the court cannot order any orders upon its own orders because the case was already in the committal process,” he said.
Cheah was charged with raping a 16-year-old girl on May 28.
The incident took place at the Grand Papua Hotel in Port Moresby last June. The matter was adjourned to July 7 and Cheah’s bail was extended.