Withdrawal of case delayed by misplaced letter

A MAN facing a cyber-crime related offence had his case adjourned to tomorrow to allow time for the police prosecutor to retrieve a letter from the arresting officer to withdraw the case.
Alexis Tam Samuel Alaster, 46, of Queensland, Australia, is facing a charge of defamatory publication under section 21 (2) of the PNG Cybercrime Code Act.
Magistrate Tracy Ganaii, who presided over the matter yesterday, had to adjourn the case after she was informed by Police Prosecutor Chief Sgt Koniu Polon that a letter from the arresting officer seeking to withdraw the case was misplaced.
Magistrate Ganaii asked Chief Sgt Polon to find the letter by Friday when the matter returned for hearing.
According to the police statement of facts, Tam allegedly recorded voice conversations between Adam Chin Cheah and complainant Jeffery Kennedy in Port Moresby.
Police alleged that Tam, between Aug 15 and 19, in Port Moresby last year, used an electronic device, an iPhone with a recording device, to make public a defamatory material to do with, “stop having an affair with my daughter or I will deal with you” concerning Jeffery Kennedy.
The statement of facts also indicated that Tam had circulated the voice recording to his friends after recording the conversation.
He recorded the conversation without the knowledge of the complainant. Tam’s bail was extended.
Tam is the god father of Cheah.
Cheah, 18, a mixed Malaysia and Philippines, was charged with sexual penetration of a girl in a hotel in Port Moresby on June 22, 2019.
His case is before the court.