Waigani Committal Court

Magistrate John Kaumi of the Waigani Committal Court sent the case of the man to the National Court on Tuesday after the lower court found there was sufficient evidence against him.

The Port Moresby-based soldier, whose identity is being withheld due to the age of the victim, is expected to appear in the National Court on March 20 for listing.

He was arrested in July 2015 and charged with the persistent child sexual abuse under section 229 of the Criminal Code and Sexual Offenses and Crimes Against Children’s Act.

This case involves a 26-year-old woman who allegedly posted defamatory remarks on social media, Facebook page ‘Jimi Politics Open forum’, against the sitting member.

Margret Opo of Karap village, Jimi district, Jiwaka Province, first appeared in court on November 1, 2016, where her charge was read and explained to her.

Three months on, police prosecution received no instructions from the investigating officers on the progress of the case, which prompted them to move an application to strike the matter out, which was allowed by the court.

He appeared in court on Monday before Magistrate Mekeo Gauli, who read and explained his charge and the allegations against him in court.

The defendant, whose identity is withheld due to the age of the victim, was arrested and charged on allegations that he sexually violated a girl under the age of 16 years at June Valley on Feb 6.

The victim is 14 years old.

He was charged with sexual penetration, under section 229(a) of the Criminal Code act and Sexual offense and Crimes against Children’s act.

She returned to court for mention today with her lawyer before Magistrate Mekeo Gauli at the Waigani Committal Court.

Police indicated in court they will serve their response submissions on her today after court. Her  case will return on March 7.

Sios lawyers filed their submissions in response to the completed hand up brief or investigation files on January 16. She remains on an extended court bail.

Her case is still undergoing the committal court process which screens evidence to see if it is sufficient to commit to the National Court.

44-year-old Steven Numbos of Kragut village, Wewak, East Sepik province, went before Magistrate Mekeo Gauli on Wednesday. His charge was read and explained to him before his case was adjourned for another month, to give police crime investigators time to investigate allegations against him.

Charged with wilful murder on Dec 30, 2016, police allege Numbos shot a man, known to the court as Ija Mulugu, using a high-powered rifle.

Magistrate Cosmas Bidar told the lawyer representing defendant, Willie Allan, to make copies of his client’s files or hand up brief for the court and police prosecution because his files could not be found in the court registry.

The files went missing after he escaped from custody.

The Committal Court directed Allan’s lawyer to bring copies of the file so that it can assist the court in assessing the evidence before it.

The case against Blaze Mara of Kapo village in the Kandrian Gloucester area of West New Britain Province returned for mention at the Waigani Committal Court today.

His lawyer told the court that he is still working on the submissions because the investigation files contained a lot of documents which he needs to respond to.

Magistrate Cosmas Bidar adjourned the matter to March 20,2017.

Mara is alleged to have stolen K432, 506.43 from his employer, Population Service International between Dec 15,2014 and June 23,2015 in Port Moresby.

The six officers returned to court with their lawyers today and Magistrate Cosmas Bidar allowed an adjournment to next week Thursday to hear submissions in response to the police prosecution investigation files.

Defense’s submissions on the investigation files took a while to be done because documents in the file were bulky.

Magistrate Bidar told the court today that the case has been outstanding for a while and he wants to finalize the matter before the festive season.

Five men were arrested and charged over the armed robbery, which took place between 11.30am and 12midday at Harbour City at Konedobu.

Remanded at Bomana, the five accused appeared for mention at the Waigani Committal Court to give an update on their submissions on the respective hand-up brief.

Solomon Gonol, Paul Michael, John Sabol 'Ala', Jack Joe Hora and Shnider Bishop appeared before Magistrate Cosmas Bidar. Bishop is the only accused on National Court bail.

Daniel Kapi, the elder brother of the late Brown Kapi, was arrested and charged by police in August for conspiring with a lawyer and two of his sisters to forge an affidavit before the court.

It is alleged Daniel Kapi, his lawyer and two sister conspired to sign an affidavit of a person (Anderson Kola) claiming he was the son of the late Brown Kapi.

The affidavit was allegedly signed by Daniel on June 21 at the Waigani Court buildings in a matter before the National Court which concerns the estate of the later Brown Kapi.