Lawyer Norman George will appeal a decision by Justice of the Peace Vania Kenning to deny his client interim name suppression.

The defendant is charged with possession of cannabis and appeared in the Criminal Court on Thursday.

George asked for the defendant to be given bail as it was his first appearance, there would be no plea, and an adjournment was sought.

George said he was awaiting disclosure, and police did not oppose bail conditions, in asking the defendant to report weekly.

The defendant would also be required to surrender his passport, not leave the Cook Islands without permission, and not interfere with witnesses.

George said he had been instructed to seek name suppression.

“I know at the end of the matter I will no longer be able to justify name suppression.”

JP Kenning asked George what the grounds were for name suppression.

George said innocence until proven guilty.

“The nature of the charge relates to possession of cannabis; it is not the more serious nature of dealing.

“The presumption of innocence, those are my grounds.”

JP Kenning denied the application and adjourned the matter to February 29 while ordering the defendant to report to police weekly, surrender his passport, not leave the Cook Islands without permission and not interfere with witnesses.

George then said he was disappointed with the ruling of interim name suppression and would file an appeal.

Cook Islands News then asked JP Kenning for clarification in terms of naming the defendant. She asked for time to consider the matter, and when it was recalled, JP Kenning told the publication the defendant’s name could not be published, as the ruling was part of an appeal