Magistrate condemns poor work by police

 By ILA PAILAEA

A MAGISTRATE is not happy with what he called “poor piece of work by the arresting officer” for a murder case he had to strike out because the police hand-up brief was not complete despite enough time given.

   When magistrate Sinclair Gora of Waigani committal court was told by the police prosecutor that the files on three accused were not ready, he was disappointed with the arresting officer who handled the investigation and files. 

He expressly told the prosecutor that, “this is a poor piece of work by the arresting officer. It lacks professionalism.” 

“I must express my disappointment to the arresting officer through you the prosecutor.

   “I am extremely concerned because this is a charge of wilful murder.

The three months allowed for the investigation expired on Dec 22 last year. Nothing had been done on the hand-up brief (containing evidence), even an extension was given, up until now.

“This means the court has no choice, but to strike out the information laid against the defendants for want of police file.”

He ordered for the defendants to be discharged from the information on charges of wilful murder and to refund to each of them their bail money.

The accused were brothers George, Rollen and Sailas Kalupa from Enga. 

They were alleged to have killed a man in a fight at Morata, NCD, around last October.