Pang asks for return of passport

By BEVERLY PETER
SANCTUARY Hotel operations manager Jamie Pang has asked a court to have the Immigration and Citizenship Authority (ICA) return his passport to the National Court registry.
Pang, of Sydney, Australia, through his lawyer Greg Sheppard raised the issue before Acting Judge Tracy Ganaii yesterday during his first appearance on a rape charge in the Waigani National Court.
“We asked the court to make an order for Pang’s passport which was confiscated by Immigration when he was charged with breaching visa conditions to be returned to the National Court registry as soon as possible,” he said.
Sheppard said Pang had pleaded guilty to the charge and had already paid the penalty the district court ordered and there was no reason for ICA to keep his passport.
Sheppard then informed the court that he had filed a bail application for Pang regarding his rape charge which was pending a hearing.
Acting Judge Ganaii said that any order sought on Pang’s passport would be considered after the determination of his bail application. “And if the bail is granted, then the bail conditions set may be considered in this,” she said.
Acting Judge Ganaii then directed the state prosecutor to file pre-trail review before the next mention on Aug 1.
On May 22, the committal court ruled that there was sufficient evidence for Pang to stand trial in the National Court for allegedly raping a woman in Port Moresby last year.
Pang was given an opportunity to make a statement on July 7, regarding the committal court ruling on the police evidence but remained silent.
Pang’s case was then committed for trial.
Pang was arrested on Feb 21 for allegedly rapping Macki Jack at Sanctuary Hotel last Oct 20.
He was arrested after a video of a policeman threatening Macki not to report the alleged rape was circulated on Facebook. Prior to his arrest, Pang was detained at the Immigration Detention Centre for breaching his visa conditions after being found in possession of firearms and drugs.