Slow court process behind jail releases

POLICE in Hela will continue to release offenders on bail because of the slow court process in the province, acting police commander John Iara says.
“We are having problems with our court system here because we only have one magistrate and the court process is very slow,” he said.
“It is slowing us that is why our cases have been put forward.
“We have prisoners in various jails that need to be brought into Hela.
“Considering the distance between Hela and jails in Mendi and Mt Hagen, it is costly and exhausting driving up and down transporting prisoners.”
Iara said prisoners who had been released on bail had a slim chance of coming back to court and he appealed to the Government to seriously look into completing the new Correctional Services institution in the province.
“I would really like to see that the CS (Correctional Services) institution in Hela be opened as soon as possible so that we can have the court process complete and have court circuits here.
“We can have the cases go through and we can have results.
“Right now, we are arresting offenders and keeping them in jail and releasing them on bail.
“They then have to wait for a month or so to actually go to court and it is really frustrating for police.
“We need the court system up and running.
“And, at the same time, the Government must look at opening the CS institution to keep prisoners here rather than sending them to other provincial jails to be locked up.”