BY ROMINAH FAKA
Three people have pleaded not guilty to charges of false pretence at the Magistrate court on Tuesday (March 4) this week.
After entering their pleas, the matter was adjourned to March 18 for a Pre-Trial Conference (PTC).
Joe Rex Raukaniu was separately charged with two counts of false pretence.
Additionally, Joe Rex Raukaniu, along with Elsie Vamily Nagive and Shirly Fa’aitoa, was charged with one count of false pretence, contrary to Section 308(a), read with Section 21 of the Penal Code (Cap 26).
Police alleged that on two separate occasions in February 2023, Raukaniu and his two agents informed two complainants that they were agents recruiting workers for seasonal employment in Australia.
It was alleged that Raukaniu took $2,500 from the first complainant and, together with Vamily Nagive and Fa’aitoa, took $2,300 from the second complainant.
After receiving the payments, they assured the complainants that they would update them on the status of their applications for seasonal work.
However, after waiting for updates, the complainants received no response from the accused regarding the promised seasonal work.
As a result, the complainants filed their complaints with the police.
Jeremy Oiofa is prosecuting the case, while the Public Solicitor’s Office (PSO) is representing the defendants.
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