High courts have power to bail

BAIL applications in murder, armed robbery and other serious cases will be heard and decisions will be made by either the National or the Supreme Court, a senior magistrate says.
Jiwaka District Court senior magistrate Frank Manue rejected a bail application by Ezikiel Ben – charged with murder – while in Baisu prison.
He said the district court did not have the power to process bail applications according to the Bail Act.
He said he Bail Act stated very clearly that applications that involved weapons in offences such as armed robbery and murder were referred to higher courts.
According to police brief, policemen Bima Didimas and Nathan Rex, both from Chimbu, and Ezikiel Ben, from Jiwaka, were arrested and charged with murder on June 18 at Minj police station.
The case is still before the court.