The Waigani District Court this afternoon allowed bail at an amount of K1, 000 to the female probationary constable who was allegedly involved in forcing another woman swallow condoms at the Boroko Police station.
The Court allowed bail at K1, 000 for the accused (name withheld) while her two guarantors will pledge an amount of K500 each.
She has been ordered to not interfere with any witnesses willing to offer statements to police during their course of investigation and must remain at the Morata Police Barracks until her case is finalised.
She walked out of the Waigani Committal Court room this afternoon after being granted bail wearing a grey hood in an attempt to hide her face from TV cameramen and photographers.
She will return to court for mention in February.
Her bail application was moved this afternoon on grounds that bail is at the discretion of the court and that presumption of innocence is available unless convicted by the Court.
In moving her application, her lawyer told the court that she denied her part in the allegations against her.
Her lawyer told the court that on Dec 4,2015 she was only at the interrogation room at the Boroko Police station to observe.
She said through her affidavit filed in court that she was there because a female was arrested and she was in the room to observe as the two male officers were very aggressive towards the victim.
Being a junior officer, she was unable to interfere with the other male officers at that time.
Police prosecution did not object the bail application as accused have the right to bail at any time based on presumption of innocence.
It is alleged that the accused (name withheld) on Dec 4,2015 while in the company of two other male police officers was involved in the act of forcing another woman to chew and swallow condom at the Boroko Police station.
She was initially charged for deprivation of liberty under section 355(a) of the Criminal Code, and Abuse of office.
She was formally charged this morning with two additional charges that were read in court this afternoon.
The third charge is that she did an Indecent act of wilfully insulting or offending another person under section 227(1)(b) of the Criminal Code.
The fourth charge laid against her will be amended as some of the wordings are not contained under the provision of section 355(b) of the Criminal Code which she was charged for.
