Training ongoing to help prosecutors know laws

By ZACHERY PER
POLICE prosecutors need training to familiarise themselves with new laws or changes to existing ones, according to Chief Superintendent Jimmy Onopia.
Onopia, the director of police prosecution, said there had been no training for the past seven years.
He is now travelling around the country training police prosecutors. He was in Goroka last month.
“For the last seven years, police prosecutors have not been trained on changes (including) new laws passed in Parliament or amendments made to existing laws,” Onopia said.
He said police prosecutors had an important duty to prosecute offenders in court but had been left to fend for themselves.
Onopia thanked Police Commissioner Gari Baki, Deputy Commissioners Raphael Huafolo (Administration) and Jim Andrew (operations) for allocating funds for the training at the various centres.
“I also realised the need to train young police prosecutors as the older ones are now on the verge of retirement,” Onopia said.
After Goroka, he travelled to Lae to conduct trainings for police prosecutors in Lae, Wau and Ramu. He then travelled to Madang and Sepik. He began in Central and the National Capital District.
Eastern Highlands Provincial Police Commander David Seine Jnr welcomed the training of prosecutors.
“There are many sections such as the Mobile Squad, Criminal Investigation Division and Prosecutions. It is a special section that needs specialised training.,” he said.