Proof a must for prosecution

THE Mt Hagen District Court has reminded police prosecutors to ensure they have evidence to prosecute cases.
Magistrate Lydia Karre told police prosecutors yesterday that evidence was crucial in order for cases to be heard in court – and to get convictions or acquittals.
Karre said this when discharging an offender arrested and charged with being in possession of stolen property.
She told the police prosecutor that defendant Amos Joseph from Enga was arrested and charged but, after calling the first state witness on March 16 during the trial, the witness and state failed to provide evidence that the defendant was in possession of stolen property.
She said Joseph was accused by a co-accused, Issac Kiap from Dei, who had escaped from police custody.
Karre said Joseph and Kiap lived together in a mission station and police failed to establish the connection between the two men, one from Enga and the other from Western Highlands.
“Joseph was arrested because Kiap said he had the stolen property. In reality, there was no stolen property found on Joseph,” she said.
Police alleged that on Dec 16 at Mt Hagen market, Kiap and Joseph were in possession of a stolen bag containing clothes and school certificates and demanded K200 before returning the property.
Police said Kiap and Joseph were arrested and charged with the same charges but Kiap escaped from custody.
Joseph entered a not guilty plea to the charge and a trial was conducted on Monday when police called in their first witness.
The court stopped the trial after the first witness failed to provide evidence and adjourned the case to yesterday for decision and made a decision to dismiss the case.