Magistrate: Respect rules

A magistrate in the Waigani Committal Court has urged people to respect courtroom rules by turning off their phones during court sessions.
Magistrate Paul Puri Nii said this after ordering courthouse security to confiscate two phones during his court session.
“The public should understand and follow simple courtroom rules all the time,” he said.
“I do not want to use the law against anyone so it is better to listen and obey courtroom rules.”
He said people had to educate themselves on how to behave while in a courtroom so that they would not break the rules.
“It is very rude and disrespectful when a court hearing is in progress and there is disturbance in the courtroom,” he said.
“There should be silence in the courtroom all the time.”