Magistrate Cosmas Bidar

Willie Gare of the Gumine district of Chimbu Province is facing allegations in a case that is somewhat rare in the country.

He returned to the Committal Court on Wednesday where Magistrate Cosmas Bidar made his ruling on the sufficiency of evidence. He is expected back in court on Sept 29 where his lawyer will make a response in the court finding sufficient evidence against him, this being his section 96 statement.

This occurred while his passport was still in the custody of the District Court registry.

The embassy filed a notice of motion before the Waigani District Court on Aug 12 asking the court to hand the passport over.

The matter came before the court on Tuesday however, could not proceed as Woo’s lawyers were not in court. It was deferred to another date next week.

“The Malaysian embassy was never interested in his case and now that they want his passport, it’s something the court does not understand,” Magistrate Bidar said when he adjourned the motion yesterday.

The court found there was no prima facie ground or sufficient evidence to commit Hamou to stand trial at the National Court.

Magistrate Cosmas Bidar, in making a ruling, dismissed the charge of abuse of office under section 92 of the criminal code act.

He said based on evidence and submissions, Hamou should have been arrested and charged under section 32 of the Criminal Code for Justification and Excuse: Compulsion. He was charged under the wrong provision of the criminal code act.

Magistrate Cosmas Bidar had the case of receiving a stolen laptop struck out in court after no police investigation files or hand-up briefs were served on the defendant, Carol Thomas, within the required three months.

“This case was first mentioned on March 30. It’s been three months since and there have been neither files served nor instructions from the arresting officer.

“Sufficient time has been given, the charge does not need extensive investigation,” Bidar said when ordering the case to be struck out and bail monies of Thomas refunded.