Drug suspect’s bail rejected

Magistrate Rosemary Koimo at the Boroko District Court yesterday advised the lawyer of a drug suspect that his client will not be released on bail until a formal application is filed.
This was after Koimo told the suspect, Nicholas Frazer, through his lawyer that she was also yet to arraign him for a new charge alleged by police.
It was alleged that on Aug 2, Frazer was in possession of 8.62 grams of cocaine at the Fortune Club in Port Moresby.
The new charge was separate from a previous charge in which police had alleged that Frazer was in possession of another drug dangerous (methamphetamine) on Aug 2 without authorisation or regulation made under the Dangerous Drug Act.
Frazer was alleged to have been the main supplier of methamphetamine to Daniel Dente, who was supplying Annabel Maxton.
The three, were charged with possession of dangerous drugs on Aug 2.
The case followed a police raid on the date when officers allegedly found 5.81 grams of drugs believed to be methamphetamine at Maxton’s residence.
In a record of interview with police, Maxton claimed that she usually got her supplies from Dente, and Dente had alleged that Frazer had supplied him with the drug.
Frazer, who is on remand at Bomana, pleaded not guilty to his charges and told the court through his lawyer that that he should be granted bail following no objections from the prosecutors.
Magistrate Koimo told Frazer: “Just because the prosecutors did not object did not mean bail would be granted. “Prosecutors do not grant bail. It’s the courts that grant bail,” Magistrate Koimo said.
She ordered that Frazer be remanded at Bomana until a formal bail application was filed and served to the court clerks so they could serve a date for Frazer’s bail application to be heard.
Magistrate Koimo ordered the matter return to court for mention tomorrow, and applications be filed and served between parties before court hearing on Monday.
Meanwhile, Maxton and Dente are on bail.