Man spends over an hour in jail for disrupting court

By ZEDAIAH KANAU
A MAN spent more than an hour in the Waigani Committal Court holding cell after he had disrupted a court proceeding yesterday.
Magistrate Paul Nii jailed the man, who was a complainant in a cyber-harassment case, until all matters had finished.
He was then let out.
Defendant, Jean David, who was charged with cyber harassment and defamatory publication, which the matter was adjourned to Sept 18, was trying to make an application to strike out her case through her lawyer Agnes Peter when the man interrupted them.
He stood at the side of the bar table and told the court that he was the complainant in the matter and was trying to give an explanation when Magistrate Nii interjected.
“Prosecutor, put him in the holding cell for disturbing the court,” Magistrate Nii said.
“Put him in the holding cell until the rising of this court.
“I have the powers under the District Court Act to hold people who misbehave in the court.
“This is my court, this is not the lawyer’s court, this is not the prosecutor’s court, nor the defendant’s court. This is my court.
“The complainant, their representative is the police, it’s not a complainant’s matter, it’s a police matter.
“When you break the law, it’s the State’s matter and the police represents the State.
“So whatever they want to say, they should say it through the prosecutor.
“I’m exercising my power and I’m sentencing him till the rising of this court.”