Court to draft protocol for late bail bids

NATIONAL Court Judge Panuel Mogish says they will draft a protocol to deal with urgent bail applications filed after hours.
Judge Mogish made the statement in court yesterday after a bail application was withdrawn by Goroka MP Aiye Tambua’s lawyer Edward Sasingian.
Mogish said he would discuss with Justice David Cannings the protocol which should outline the process people must follow “in the event urgent bail is sought after hours”.
He said judges and magistrates had been disturbed after hours by those seeking urgent bail applications.
“There seems to be some confusion with lawyers calling judges after hours,” he said.
He said the protocol would assist those seeking bail between 6pm and 7.45am. He said they would get National Court registrar Ian Augerea to draft the protocol.
Sasingian appeared before the court to withdraw the bail application, noting that bail had already been granted to Tambua by a District Court.
He said since no guns or weapons had been used for his alleged crime, the District Court saw fit to grant bail in accordance with the Bail Act.