NINTY-EIGHT policemen and women graduated today from the Bomana Prosecutions Training School in Port Moresby after successfully completing a four-year Prosecutors Qualifying Program.
The graduation ceremony for the 98 police prosecutors was held at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby.
Acting Manager Prosecutions Training, Senior Inspector Ruth Tusela, said that this is the first of its kind for the college, the Prosecutions Directorate and the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.
Senior Inspector Tusela said, “The Prosecutions Qualifying Program sets a milestone and a new chapter into professionalising the prosecutions directorate. The program is designed only for prosecutors and in order to be in this program you must be a prosecutor and be registered in the Prosecutions Directorate.
“Anyone who had been in the Prosecutions Directorate prior to the program had been approved automatically and commenced when the program started in 2020.”
She said police prosecutors who have missed out on the training program can always fill in the registration papers for future courses.
“Together with that form they will have to attach all the relevant approvals from their immediate supervisors and send their applications to Director Prosecutions and a copy to the Prosecution Training,” she said.
“This program is mostly funded by the PNG Australia Policing Partnership (PNGAPP). I thank the people of Australia and the Australian government for funding this program. Just last year, the RPNGC took ownership and co-funded some of the programs,” she said.
The Prosecutors Qualifying Program is a 4-year program consisting of two years of theory and two years of prosecution. There are three stages in the program and include: Distance Education, Residential school and court assessment phase.
Some of the topics covered include: Introduction to criminal law; Criminal practices and procedures; Duties and powers; and Defendants’ rights.
SIP Tusela said prosecutors have a duty in appeasing the court to come to a satisfactory conclusion of each case where everyone consisting of the defendant, the victim and every interested party is happy with whatever decision that is handed down by the courts.
She stressed that this program has enhanced the prosecutor’s knowledge of the law and the skills attained will enable them to confidently and competently carry on their duties as police prosecutors.
She said, “Now we have all the resources and the knowledge and skills to professionally do our job, so it’s about time we give back to our organisation the results that our organisation needs through our duties when prosecuting in court.”
The four-year Prosecutors Qualifying Program is an ongoing Diploma program in Law at the University of Papua New Guinea.
The graduation commenced today at 1pm today at the APEC Haus and was live-streamed via the following Facebook page: RPNGC – Prosecution Qualifying Program Graduation: https//fb.me/e/2APkaDEtt.
