Prosecutors urged not to delay court

National

MT Hagen District Court magistrate Lydia Karre is continuing to remind police prosecutors to bring offenders to court without delay.
A police prosecutor yesterday brought in an accused who had spent six weeks in the Mt Hagen police cell without a court appearance.
Magistrate Karre said defendant Peter Kumda, 37, from Jimi in Jiwaka, had a right to appear in court without any delay.
She said this after Kumda told the court that he was locked up for 55 nights without appearing in court.
Kumda was arrested and charged with possession of a valueless cheque for K11,000.
Police alleged that Kumda used the cheque to show it to his sister at Mt Hagen Hospital to get some money and goods on credit.
Police alleged that on Feb 24, Kumda went to Mt Hagen Hospital at around 4pm, showed the cheque to his sister Joyce Mathew and received K650, 10 broiler chickens and K56 worth of flex cards.
Police alleged that he received money and goods totalling K1,056 on credit but never repaid it.
When he had failed to repay his sister, she lodged a complaint with police and had him arrested.
Kumda denied taking money and goods totalling K1,056.
He told the court that he only got K300 and K100 worth of chicken, totalling K400 and denied other allegations.
He told the court that Mathew was not even his sister as claimed by the police.
Mathew was not in court yesterday to verify the sum of money and the court asked police prosecutors to confirm with her before the court would hand its decision on sentencing tomorrow.
In the meantime, the court ordered Kumda to remain in police custody and return to court tomorrow.