Tan murder case delayed

THE two Chinese nationals charged with attempting to murder businessman Jason Tan may have their case struck out if police do not complete  investigation papers, a Waigani Committal Court said yesterday.
Defence lawyer Michael Wilson described the police delay in completing a handout brief for his clients Changjiang Gao and Xue Zhufu as “quite absurd”.
“Police should not give excuses for the delay,” he said to magistrate Fred Tomo.
The police prosecutions informed the court the handout brief had been completed but there was still a delay in engaging an interpreter to help record an interview.
An interpreter was expected last Friday but did not turn up.
The court was then informed an interpreter would be engaged today to assist police in compiling the recorded interview.
“I thought it was the last day for the committal process,” Mr Wilson said.
He said police had no reason for the delay  as his clients had made themselves readily available on several occasions for the interview to be conducted.
Mr Wilson then submitted that the case be struck out as the police had failed to compile evidence against his clients.
Magistrate Tomo said Mr Wilson’s point was quite true, but if even if he ordered the case to be struck out, it was very likely that police would pick up Gao and Zhufu again.
He then ordered the case to be adjourned for two weeks.
By then, he said, police should have both the handout brief and the record of interview completed.
If not, he said, the case would be struck out.