The district court in Papua New Guinea has thrown out a case brought against a Manus Island refugee who escaped to Fiji.
Loghman Sawari Photo: Behrouz Boochani
Loghman Sawari was deported back to Port Moresby in February and charged under the country's passport act with using false information to obtain a passport.
The charge was dismissed yesterday for lack of evidence, but while awaiting judgement the 21-year-old from Iran was arrested again and charged with similar offences under the migration act.
His lawyer, Loani Henao, said Mr Sawari had to endure a week in police custody before being bailed on the second set of charges last Thursday.
Mr Henao said the similarity of the new charges to the one thrown out by the district court could be part of his defence in the new trial.
"If under the same set of facts another charge is brought up again then the issue of double jeopardy will be raised."
Mr Henao said the first hearing in the new case against Mr Sawari would be on 1 May.
