Sweep team has 25 cases

 THE public prosecutor’s office has received 25 cases as the result of investigations by the Task Force Sweep, says public prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin.

He said in a statement last Friday that the cases would be heard in Waigani, Kokopo and Mendi.

“As to when the trials will occur, presently, there is a newly-implemented process by the courts in Papua New Guinea called the Case Docketing System,” Kaluwin said.

He said cases under his were registered to a specific judge.

“The matter will then be given dates for trial in order of committal dates.

The earlier a person is committed, the earlier is his or her trial,” Kaluwin said.

He said the process of a person to be committed to stand trial started with a person being arrested by police and charged. Police then compile a file which consists of witness statements and other documents. Copies of the file are then distributed to the committal court, the accused and the police prosecutor.

The committal magistrate assesses the evidence on the file and decides if it is enough for a person to stand trial in the National Court.