Police running out of money as drug case drags on

POLICE are facing funding issues trying to cater for seven state witnesses in an international drug-smuggling trial in Milne Bay, provincial police commander Inspector George Bayagau says.
“These seven witnesses are from the remote Budibudi Island in the Samarai-Murua electorate and we have been looking after them in Alotau for five months now,” Bayagu said.
“The drug-smuggling trial for seven foreigners has been adjourning continuously due to their lawyer always reporting to be sick.”
Bayagau said that they were now feeding the witnesses detainees’ rations at the Alotau police station.
“The rations are running out.
“We have moved them from a government transit lodge to a police house after we ran out of money to pay for their accommodation,” he said.
“So far we have paid over K4000 for their accommodation. That lodge was charging us K50 perday.”
Bayagau said that one of the witnesses, who was a teacher, had returned to Budibudi to supervise grade 8 examinations.
The trial of the six Asians and one European has been deferred to Monday because their lawyer was reported to be sick.
There was no legal representation for the defendants available.
The State had all evidence and witnesses when the case was adjourned for the third time on Oct 29.
Bayagau said the lawyer also reported sick when their trial waqs first called at the District Court in Alotau.
“They had been in custody since May after 50 sixkg (packages) of cocaine were found on Budibudi Island,” Bayagau said.
“When they first appeared in court in August, they were found guilty of illegal entry.
“They have denied the drug-smuggling charges.”
The accused are now serving a 10-month jail term at Giligili Prison for failing to pay their fines of K8000 for illegal entry.
The drug was tested in Australia and confirmed to be cocaine.