Madang detainee released from unlawful lock-up

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
ONLY one of the seven detainees unlawfully locked up at the Jomba police cells in Madang with their case heard last week has been released from custody.
The seven arrested at different times were kept for more than a week in detention.
The one released through a court order by National Court judge Justice David Cannings, Jonathan Paru, was, according  to court documents shot on his right foot, denied immediate urgent medical attention, kept without being charged, brought before the court without delay and kept under worse conditions.
Despite evidence from police that the suspect was in possession of a homemade pistol and harassing a young lady at the Sea Breeze service station at the time of his apprehension, Cannings found five constitutional provisions breached by the state.
Sections 36 (1), 37 (1) (17), 42 (2) (3) all related to the deprivation of a person’s rights. He, therefore, ordered the conditional release of Paru.
The matter is returnable on March 9 with the other six to have their unlawful detention case this Thursday.