An almost three-year-old criminal court case involving 18 charges, mostly for burglary, has been dismissed in the Cook Islands High Court at Rarotonga.
The case against Metuamoeroa Tangatapoto was called before justice of the peace John Kenning last week.
Some of Mr Tangatapoto's charges related to incidents in 2008 and 2009 and his lawyer, Norman George, says this time lag is unacceptable.
He says some of the alleged victims and potential witnesses in the case are no longer alive, and others have left the Cook Islands.
Mr George says his client had had 12 court appearances in two years giving the crown ample time to get ready for trial.
The justice of the peace agreed the case had taken too long and dismissed it.
