The Lae Committal Court this morning struck out a case against Lae’s Deputy Lord Mayor, Jacob Maragau, and his wife for allegedly selling alcohol during the beer ban.
Maragau’s case was brought before Senior Provincial Magistrate, Pious Tapil, with the police prosecution team seeking to obtain a warrant of arrest from the court.
Police alleged that on Sunday, January 1st, at around 8am, five men were caught purchasing cartons of alcohol from 140 Club, which is a licensed liquor outlet owned by the deputy lord mayor.
Police claim Maragau was aware of the liquor ban imposed in Morobe, but went ahead and permitted his wife and household to sell alcohol.
Police then confiscated cartons of beer from his premises, and invited him down to the station for interrogation and further course of action.
The police prosecution team told Magistrate Tapil that in respect of Maragau’s position in the city, he was not arrested on the spot.
However, since he had refused to present himself at the police station, police submitted an affidavit highlighting Section 8 of the Arrest Act 1977 and Section 50 of the District Courts Act 1963.
Magistrate Tapil, however, was not satisfied that police had tried all means possible to effect an arrest.
“What is stopping police from going to the location? Go ahead and arrest them,” said the magistrate.
“There must be some practical hindrance on the part of police to prevent them from carrying out their duties. I find that there is no need for a warrant of arrest to be issued.”
Before striking out the case, Magistrate Tapil pointed out that Lae police are in possession of a good number of vehicles.