Clerk to law firm denies threatening journalists

Eric Lai, a clerk to a Law Firm has denied charges of threatening and interfering with journalists during a confrontation at the courthouse in Lae.

Lai, a 42 year old from Enga Province pleaded not guilty to one count each for offensive behaviour, damaging property and the use of threatening words when he appeared before Magistrate Cathleen Sopa.

The charges are laid under the Summary Offences Act, Chapter 264 as amended by Act no: 7/2018.

Police reports alleged that the incident occurred on March 16th (last Monday) between 10:30am and midday, inside the National Court's Room One in Lae, where Lai was attending a bail application of the matter involving Shalatee Dong Basil (late Bulolo MP Sam Basil's wife) and three others.

According to police's statement, Lai was seen whispering to one of the accused and watching the senior journalist and his trainee who were covering the proceedings.

It is alleged that he then approached the two during the hearing, sat with them briefly, and later returned to order them to stop taking notes and to not report on the case.

After the court was adjourned to 1:30pm, the confrontation escalated outside the courthouse.

Police reports state that the senior journalist was approached at the main gate and had two pages of his notes torn out by another person associated with Lai, while Lai himself threatened the trainee journalist, warning her not to publish the story. 

The matter was reported to police, leading to him being arrested and charged.

Magistrate Sopa adjourned the case to April 20th for trial, when both the prosecution and defence are expected to present their witnesses. Lai's police bail of K1,500 has been converted to court bail.