No vehicle no excuse, police prosecutors told

POLICE prosecutors have been warned not to use the excuse of no vehicles for the no show by detainees in court.
Waigani District Court magistrate Fred Tomo issued the warning on Friday after two detainees from Bomana Correctional Services (CS) failed to show up before him that day.
The two detainees are Chinese men accused of trying to kill businessman Jason Tan on Jan 2.
Police prosecutor Koniu Polon told the court that the two accused – Changjiang Gao, 36, from the Dong Bei province and Xue Zhufu, 38, from Fujian province of China – were not available because the police vehicle used to transport detainees was involved in an accident last year and for some time now, they were unable to bring detainees to the courts.
Mr Tomo said this was not “a good enough excuse” and told the prosecutor to inform his superiors that the police must ensure that this did not continue to be the reason for absenteeism for remandees, whose cases must be attended to when their matters have to be heard and completed promptly.
“The police must ensues there is an alternate vehicle to bring prisoners to court,” he said.
Both accused men last appeared before magistrate Tomo on Jan 6 charged with one count each of attempted murder contravening Section 304(a) of the Criminal Code Act, Chapter 262.
The matter was adjourned to Feb 12.