Suspended magistrate’s charges dismissed

The National Court has dismissed the case of a suspended Waigani Committal Court magistrate facing corruption charges after the State withdrew the charges yesterday.
The state prosecutor told the court that the investigating officer in his affidavit said two of its witnesses were not willing to give evidence.
Justice Panuel Mogish ordered the case to be dismissed and made an order for the Pinson Pindipia’s K1000 bail to be refunded.
Justice Mogish said such cases involving prominent people should be dealt with properly by the police.
“Police should not be swayed by their emotions to go and arrest a person.” Mogish said.
He said even if police had the right to arrest and charge any person, it didn’t mean that they acted on their emotions.
He said in Pindipia’s case “was a very serious allegation” and there was no evidence on the State’s part.
He said the case should have been completed at the Committal Courts but had gone up to the National Court.
Pindipia was charged with perversely expressing jurisdiction with interest in a particular case (Paul Paraka’s) case in 2014.
Pindipia told The National that he was happy to be cleared  and expressed gratitude for the court’s decision.
“I’ve always maintained my judicial independence and nothing has come in a way that my judicial integrity has been compromised and that has been unduly tarnished,” he said.
“I have earned this reputation for almost 27 years and none of my cases on record go on appeals and this is the first time I’ve suffered.”
Pindipia said he would speak with his lawyer if he had any rights under the law to take legal action against the State. This case went on for two years and six months.
“When a person is unduly suppressed by use of force, power and authority the court system is where our final hope is,” he said.