Bail refused for PNG Doc

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

A Bail application for a Papua New Guinea doctor, his wife and two others accused of entering the Solomon Islands without any exemption has been refused by the Magistrate Court yesterday.

Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison refused the bail application made by defence lawyer George Gray on behalf of the PNG medical doctor, his wife and two others, all of whom were seeking bail while awaiting their case to be dealt with by the court.

The prosecution objected to the bail application saying they have breached the COVID-19 regulations that were declared in March 2020 and the country is in a State of Public Emergency.

Among the regulation states there should not be any small crafts or vessel entering the Solomon Islands without any exemption from the Prime Minister.

Prosecution said the defendants breached that order by entering illegally into the border between Ontong Java and Tasman around 4:30pm on January 9 2022.

Magistrate Hollison after assessing submissions from both the crown and defence remanded the defendants in custody with immediate effect.

However, since two defendants are positive with covid they are isolated from the rest of the defendants.

Hollison also made orders that the five children must be accommodated at a safe facility either with relatives or at a government approved quarantine and must be conducive for the children.

“The children must be kept safe in secured facility and police to make sure that orders of the court regarding the children must be complied with.

The case was then adjourned to February 24 for mention and the court also further orders that the defendants are at liberty to apply for subsequent bail application.

 This is the case of Papua New Guinea Nationals Mr Maine Asapo and Naomi Turena Temoa, two other defendants are Solomon Islanders Abraham Nareau and Patteson Aloe who are both natives of Pelau Village, Malaita Outer Islands

Mr Asapo and Naomi Temoa are both charged with one count of Prohibition of Entry of Non-citizens contrary to Clause 4 of the Emergency Powers (Covid-19)(Prohibition of Entry of Non-Citizens)Order 2020, read with Regulation 7(1)(3)(5)(a) and 7 of the Emergency Powers (Covid-19)(No. 3) Regulations 2021, and one count of Restrictions of Movement of Small Craft Vessels contrary to Clause 4(b)(c) of the Emergency Powers (Covid-10)(Restrictions of Movement of Small Craft Vessels)(Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea Border) Order 2020, read with Regulation 17(1)(a)(i) and (3) of the Emergency Powers (Covid-19) Regulations (3) 2021.

While the other two defendants are charged with one count of Restrictions of Movement of Small Craft Vessels contrary to Clause 4(b)(c) of the Emergency Powers (Covid-10) (Restrictions of Movement of Small Craft Vessels) (Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea Border) Order 2020, read with Regulation 17(1)(a)(i) and (3) of the Emergency Powers (Covid-19) Regulations (3) 2021.

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