Magistrate Laura Kuvi

A magistrate at the Boroko District Court made these comments in relation to a matter that came before her on Wednesday this week.

Magistrate Laura Kuvi said police cannot enter people’s premises without a search warrants or unless they are on court pursuit.

“It’s different when they are chasing somebody and that person runs into your yard, its immediate pursuit and they can enter your premises. But It’s different when they are coming to conduct a search. They need to obtain a search warrant,” she said.

The defendant and her lawyer appeared before Magistrate Laura Kuvi on Tuesday for mention, where issues of the Summary Offense court’s jurisdiction were raised.

Police Prosecution indicated in court that one of the two charges that the woman was facing was beyond the jurisdiction of the Summary Offense court.

The woman, Brenda Cangah, was charged with unlawful assault, under section 63 of the Summary Offense Act.

The woman, Mary Morris of Lapaula village, Tapini district in the Central province, appeared at the Boroko District Court on Wednesday for being in possession of dangerous drugs.

She was arrested following a drug bust by police at her Two-Mile residence in Port Moresby on Oct 5, following a tip-off.

Three 10kg bags of compressed marijuana were discovered in her residence by police after they received information of five 10kg bags.