Warning on wasting court’s time

By JAMES GUMUNO
THE Hagen District Court warned Papua New Guineans to stop making a fool of the judiciary by withdrawing reports to seek compensation.
“The court is no fool (to be used by you). Stop wasting the court and police’s time. There are many cases to handle,” magistrate Lydia Karre said on Friday.
Karre made the remarks after Lovelin Peter asked the court to withdraw assault charges against her husband, Mathias Robert, 26, to enable compensation to be paid.
Robert, from Southern Highlands and living outside Hagen City’s Kamunamur village, was arrested and charged with domestic violence against woman under the Criminal Code Act.
According to police investigations, Robert on May 22 between 8pm and 8.30pm kicked and punched Lovelin in a marital argument.
Robert was arrested the following day and locked up in the Hagen police cell for eight nights and appeared in court on Friday.
Lovelin told the court: “This was not the first time my husband assaulted me. We were married last October and he has battered me several times. Mi belhat na kalabusim em na nau mi laik rausim em na me ken painim mi kompensasen (I was angry with him and put him in jail and now I want him released so that he can pay me compensation),”
Karre then ticked off Lovelin with the remarks and added: “Robert has already pleaded guilty as charged and has also spent eight nights in the cell. I will not dismiss the case.
“The matter is already before the court and the court will deal with Robert.”
Karre then ordered the probation officer to provide her with a pre-sentence report so that she could deliver sentencing on Friday.