Police detective absent from court, summons yet to be served

THE non-appearance of a police detective in a Waigani Committal Court continued yesterday as the summons had apparently still not served on him.
Police prosecutor Chief Insp Polon Koniu told Magistrate Tracy Ganaii that although they had the summons, they were unable to serve it on Det Roman Anton of the Gerehu police station.
“We had the summons ready yesterday (Tuesday) but we didn’t serve it.
“We will serve it to his police station commander today (Wednesday) to have him appear in court on Friday,” he said.
Anton did not turn up in court on Sunday when Ganaii heard the application for bail for Filipino Marilyn Epsolong who is accused to acting illegally to get her son released from custody.
In allowing the bail application, Ganaii also asked why she was refused in the first place since the alleged offence allowed for it.
On Monday, she said no reasons were given for refusing bail.
She further asked why Epsolong was arrested over the weekend when the warrant was issued four days earlier and the identity of the complainant.
However, Anton was also not present.
Ganaii adjourned hearing to the afternoon for the prosecutor to secure Anton’s presence but when he still did not show up, she issued the summons for him to appear on Tuesday.
When questioned, Assistant Commissioner of Crimes Hodges Ette said since Anton was the arresting officer, it was best for him to explain.
Epsolong is alleged to have conspired with the officer in charge of the Juvenile Division to get her son, Adam Cheah, released from bail two months ago.
She was arrested on Saturday, charged at the Gerehu police station and later taken to the Boroko station cell where she was held overnight.
Attempts to bail her were rejected.