No comments from policemen

MAGISTRATE Paul Puri Nii says accused people’s Constitutional rights should not be suppressed.
He said this at the Waigani Committal Court yesterday when giving the opportunity to four suspended policemen charged with attempted murder of Samuel Naraboi, 21, on Feb 27, if they had anything to say regarding the progress of their case in court.
“The defendants although arrested and charged, they are innocent until proven guilty,” he said.
“At the moment, there is no evidence before the court so I am giving them the opportunity to speak.”
Police prosecutor sergeant Chris Iga told the court that there were no instructions from the case informant regarding the progress of this matter.
Iga said prosecutions had issues with communication.
They had to buy credits and use their own mobile phones to communicate with the case informant.
Magistrate Nii said it was a police administrative issue and it should not interfere with court.
The court then asked the four policemen if they had anything to say and they all replied that they had nothing to say.
Iga asked for a month’s adjournment since it was the first mention after the defendants were arraigned on March 22.
The court upheld prosecutions application and adjourned the matter to June 9. Their bail was extended.
Police alleged that on Feb 27, between 6.30am and 7am, four policemen were seen at the roundabout between the Games Village Police Barracks, Tokarara and Waigani driveway.
Samuel and William Michael were walking down toward Waigani bus stop after spending a night with a friend at Tokarara.
At the junction at the Games Village Police Barracks, they saw a man by the roadside selling betel nuts.
Samuel approached the betel nut seller and asked him if he could spare him a betel nut.
The betel nut seller responded by swearing at Samuel and Michael.
At that instant, an off duty policeman, identified as being attached to police headquarters, drove up and spoke with the betel nut seller.
It was alleged that the public assisted the unidentified policeman to catch Samuel and assaulted him.
Samuel and Michael were admitted to the hospital for injuries caused by the alleged beatings.
Samuel fell at the edge of the traffic island roundabout and while he was lying on the ground, the officer kicked him with his boot.
Upon seeing this, Michael ran towards Samuel and tried to stop the policeman but the unidentified policeman grabbed Michael’s jaw and broke it.
Michael stood up and ran into the police barracks seeking refuge.
Then a Fox 101 Police Unit arrived at the scene and a cop allegedly lifted Samuel in the air and tackled him head down first on the road.
It was alleged the four policemen used a fan belt to hook Samuel’s neck, dragged him on the road, lifted and dumped him into the police vehicle and tortured him for three to four hours.