Policeman charged with unlawfully detaining man appears in court

A POLICEMAN appeared before the Waigani Committal Court yesterday charged with unlawfully detaining a person.
Magistrate Cosmas Bidar said Wanpis Bone, 23, from Lepora in Southern Highlands, was alleged to have stolen a phone from a grade nine student, Francis Ranny, at Gordon, and unlawfully detained him at Gordon police station in Port Moresby on Jan 28.
Bone is a probationary constable attached to the Gordon police station.
Police alleged that Ranny was having lunch with friend in a fast-food shop at Gordon at the time of the incident. Ranny had also bought a new smart phone and held on to it in the shop.
Ranny told police that “Bone came behind him and said “olim em” (grab him).
“Bone forcefully pulled the phone out of my hand while saying ‘phone ya kam’ (give me that phone),” Ranny said.
Bone then allegedly directed Ranny to get on a police vehicle and took him to the Gordon police station.
Ranny said his friend was with him when police took his phone.
Bone allegedly detained Ranny when they arrived at Gordon police station for no reason.
Magistrate Bidar said: “Bone’s case is new. Investigations are still continuing. We will adjourn this case to July 9 for police to conduct more research.”
The court ordered that Bone, while on bail, should not go near any police witness. He should also attend court for his cases on the dates and times the court appointed.
Bone should not commit another offence while on bail, the court said.