Aussie Cutmore’s cocaine trafficking case to proceed without defence counsel

News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Aussie Cutmore’s cocaine trafficking case to proceed without defence counsel

PORT MORESBY: A committal court in Waigani has proceeded with the ruling, based on the police file, in the case of an Australian man charged with cocaine trafficking in Central two years ago.

Magistrate Danny Wakikura yesterday (March 30, 2022) said the court had waited too long for David John Cutmore’s lawyer to attend court.

“I  am ready to proceed to hear the submission and what was already on the hand up brief to hand down my ruling,” he added, adjourning hearing to April 18, 2022.

The court proceedings were reported by The National:

No counsel for Aussie as case proceeds

March 31, 2022The NationalMain Stories

A COMMITTAL Court in Waigani has proceeded with the ruling, based on the police file, in the case of an Australian man charged with cocaine trafficking in Central two years ago.
Magistrate Danny Wakikura yesterday said the court had waited too long for David John Cutmore’s lawyer to attend court.
“I am ready to proceed to hear the submission and what was already on the hand up brief to hand down my ruling,” he added.
Police prosecutor Boas Binuali told the court that the previous (defence) counsel had informed that there would be no submission made by defence and let the court rule on the police file.
Binuali added that the court also had not heard from the other defence lawyer.
He then adjourned the matter for ruling on April 18 and extended Cutmore’s remand.
On July 26, Cutmore, from North Queensland, allegedly entered Papua New Guinea (PNG) illegally from Cairns on a twin engine aircraft which landed near Papa Lealea in Central.
He is alleged to have flown in to pick up 611kg of cocaine and was supposed to have returned to Australia but the plane crashed due to the weight.
Police recovered the drug and later arrested Cutmore after he surrendered himself at the Australian High Commission.
He was later convicted of illegally entering the country and breaching the Civil Aviation Act for flying without a pilot licence and crashing the plane.

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