Twenty-seven Journalism and Public Relations students from the University of Papua New Guinea were privileged to attend a National Court sitting and also ask a judge questions on court procedures.
It’s an exercise the UPNG Journalism and Public Relations strand has taken to help its third year News Coverage students get their minds back in school through practical engagement. This was after classes resumed following the boycott and student unrest.
Tutor and trip coordinator, Joycelyn Mark, said the students’ visit on Friday to the Bomana National Court was part of the theory component of the course and more visits will be done during the semester.
The country’s criminal judge administrator, Justice Panuel Mogish, addressed the students after the court sitting through a court user forum.
He explained to the students court proceedings, where parties sit in a courtroom and the different coloured gowns they wear in different occasions.
He also spoke to the students on the criminal code act before they asked questions ranging from contempt in court in reports, sub judice, ethics, bail applications and offences, amongst others.
He encouraged the students not to find themselves at Bomana by breaking laws.
“It’s a terrible place to be in,” he said.
Student Kana Noka said engaging with a judge is very rare for journalism students and they were privileged to have done so. This will help them with the basics of court reporting.
“It really challenged us and has given us something to think about.”
One thing Noka will take away from the visit was how court reporting comes in conflict with journalism and how journalists can avoid contempt of court.
