Use right law, cops told

By JAMES GUMUNO
THE Mt Hagen District Court continues to remind police officers to charge offenders under the correct section of the law on the amended Summary Offence Act.
Magistrate Joseph Donald also reminded police traffic officers to charge traffic offenders under the new Motor Vehicle Traffic Act. Donald told prosecutors on Friday in court after information papers of the offenders presented to the court were not in the right sections of the law when charging offenders.
He told the police that if they didn’t have the amended Acts on Summary Offence or Motor Traffic to see him and he would give them copies to see and properly lay charges.
Donald found that police were still using old Acts.
He said that he could not continue to remind them.
He spoke while presiding over the case of Kansol Andap, 30, from Kipika village in Tambul, Western Highlands.
Andap was picked by police on Feb 17 at Tarangau in Mt Hagen city and charged with possession of a marijuana roll, drinking and behaving disorderly in public and attacking a betel nut vendor, Bepi Puri.
Andap pleaded guilty to two charges but denied attacking Puri. He allegedly lifted her table and smashed it on her right arm and using his fist to bash her.
Donald told the police to fix their information paper and return to court today. He also ordered the defendant to remain in police custody and return to court on today.