THE court has set a trial date for a man alleged of burning a kitchen early this year.
Yesterday both prosecution and defence agreed to have the trial proceed in the first week of June, and set it for June 4-8 this year.
Prosecution told court that they will be calling less than five witnesses for the trial while defence will be calling a police officer as its witness.
John Amond was charged with one count of arson in relation to an incident which occurred this year in the Central Islands province.
Prosecution said that witnesses saw the accused at the area when the kitchen was burnt and they reported the matter to police in which the accused was arrested.
Principal Magistrate Fatimah Taeburi then adjourns the case to May 30 for an interim mention.
The court then extends the accused’s bail to May 30.
Daniel Kwalai of the Public Solicitor’s Office represents the accused in court.
THE trial into the case against the Member of Parliament for Baegu/Asifola constituency has adjourned yesterday to today to allow defence time to consult with his client.
The court was told that defence lawyer Michael Pitakaka needs more time with the defendant regarding issues in relation to the MP’s charges as it was just recently amended by prosecution.
This is the case against David Tome who is alleged to have involved in converting funds in relation to incidents in 2011.
Prosecution alleged that in 2011 the MP obtained public funds for a constituency project; however those funds were not used as intended and was converted for his own use.
The MP is charged with fourteen (14) counts of Conversion under Section 278(1) (c) (i) of the Penal Code, involving funds totalling $67,170.
The minister was on $2000 cash bail and will appear in court faithfully till his case is completed.
Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown on this case.
A Chinese woman has pleaded guilty to six counts of larceny and embezzlement to the sum of more than $400,000 from her employer in cash and cartons of cigarette.
Tong Jian Jing was an employee of the Low Price enterprise, working as a clerk. She was charged with six counts of larceny and embezzlement by servant in relation to the incidents which occurred from November last year to March this year.
Prosecution alleged that the first incident occurred on November 23 last year where she stole 11 cartons of cigarette worth $170,500.
Prosecution further said from December last year to around March this year she stole huge amounts of money. The management of Low Price found out and reported the matter to police.
Yesterday she appeared in court with her shy face and soft voice admitting to the court her guilt for stealing those amounts of money from the company she worked for.
After she pled guilty to all the charges against her the court adjourned the case to today for sentencing submission.
Police Prosecutor John Palmer Teula prosecutes the case in court while Cathy Hite from Public Solicitor’s Office represents the accused.
The five PNG nationals who were rescued in Solomon Islands Exclusive Economic
Zone (EEZ) Friday last week after nine weeks of floating at sea. Standing with them on
their arrival at the Solfish main wharf at Ranadi are FFV Jin Chu Fu No. 68’s member,
PNG High Commission’s rep and officers of Lee Kwok Kuen and Solfish Company.
PHOTOS BY DANIEL KAKADI
5 PNG nationals safe in Honiara after nine-week adrift
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
FIVE PNG nationals have been rescued in the high seas of Solomon Islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on Friday last week after drifting for nine weeks.
The five were brought over to Honiara yesterday and are reportedly safe and receiving medical attention. Four of them are from Lihir in PNG’s New Ireland province and one from East New Britain province.
The Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to Solomon Islands His Excellency Mr Fred Yakasa thanks the Lee Kwok Kuen Group of companies especially Solfish Company and partner Fishing Vessel Jin Chu Fu No 68 through its agent Will Fish management William Chen for the rescue.
The five PNG nationals who were rescued in Solomon Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Friday last week after nine weeks of floating at sea. Standing with them on their arrival at the Solfish main wharf at Ranadi are FFV Jin Chu Fu No. 68’s member, PNG High Commission’s rep and officers of Lee Kwok Kuen and Solfish Company. PHOTOS BY DANIEL KAKADI
“The survivors were travelling from Namatanai town to Lihir Islands on Thursday March 2, 2018 around 4pm in which about an hour later, a bad weather forced them to lose visibility and directions. Around 7pm their fuel ran out and they began drifting,” said in PNG High Commission’s media statement.
According to the men, they survived on a bag of peanuts, dry coconuts and rain water which were collected and stored in a bucket and containers.
After arriving at the Solfish wharf at Ranandi around 9am, the PNG nationals were rushed to the Family Medical Centre for medical checks.
Four were released soon after and one remained at the clinic for further observation.
Solfish Company has generously offered accommodations at their Lengakiki compound and the PNG High Commission has commenced arrangements necessary to repatriate them back to PNG early next week.
Present also during the arrival of the PNG nationals were the immigration, customs and ministry of fisheries officers.
The men were found and rescued by FFV Jin Chu Fu No 68 on Friday, May 4.
Students participate in the one of the activity’s lessons.
BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE
Students participate in the one of the activity’s lessons.
STUDENTS of Don Bosco Technology Institute on May 3 were treated to a new experience – learning Mandarin.
According to Ms Kue-Mi Li, a Taiwanese teacher currently teaching Mandarin at SINU, it was at first a challenge, speaking to more than 300 students.
Yet, eventually she expressed that she was surprised at how welcoming, cooperative, willing to participate and eager to learn they were when she ventured throughout the two hour period of the Mandarin awareness activity which involved a brief introduction of Taiwanese culture and Mandarin phrases.
The school principal, teachers and students all enjoyed the awareness activity.
Besides grasping a thing or two about Taiwan’s culture, students stressed that learning Mandarin was interesting.
A student majoring in construction, Junior John Tioti said that he loved the presentation and learned a lot such as language, culture and the link between Solomon Islands.
He mentioned that as much as he enjoyed the quizzes, he wants to know more about the language.
Kevin Efa, from the tourism and hospitality department, said he found the presentation interesting and also wants to learn Mandarin.
He expressed that they liked the activity and wanted more but time was too short.
Mr Freddie Idumae Gale, who is an electrical technology teacher, said that students really enjoyed the two hour activity which is something new that has not been held at the school before.
He added that it would more helpful if this activity was organised more often.
Don Bosco’s Principal, Father Moise Paluku Maneno said that it was not easy to convince the teachers for students to attend a two hour activity but seeing the need for students to be more exposed to reality and learning about something from outside, he was knew that the activity had to take course.
He mentioned that although students may not learn much about Mandarin, they will have the experience of know how challenging it is to learn another language.
“They might be happy with just Pijin and a little English, they don’t know how hard it is to learn a foreign language. I wanted to see our young students meet the challenge to learn a new language,” said Maneno.
KGVI school player and Don Bosco player contesting for the ball during their opening game on Tuesday
BY DANNY KAKADI
KGVI school player and Don Bosco player contesting for the ball during their opening game on Tuesday
KING George Sixth School bagged a double victory in the opening day of the 2018 Samlimsan School Hockey League yesterday in Honiara.
The King George Sixth’s boys and girls teams took on Don Bosco’s girls and boys teams respectively in the two fixtures held yesterday.
The state-owned institute KGVI registered wins in both matches – registering a 3-2 win in the boys and a 2-1 result in the girls division, respectively.
Described as action-packed, the KGVI girls’ team showed no mercy in all aspects of their game against their opponent but somehow were held to nil-all by the Bosconians in the first half.
The match resumed into a livelier second half where both teams finally gained momentum to deliver goals.
KGVI, guided by national under-18 captain Claudia Votu, her smart play-making abilities was proven when she assisted scorer Rachael Geoa to slot the first goal home.
Few moments later Sharon Gaote’e added the second to make it 2-0.
A late surge by Don Bosco could not help them turn things around as they managed to bag one goal through Margaret while KGVI held on to win 2-1.
In the boys match, a much-improved performance from Don Bosco forced defending champions KGVI to really push hard with the best of their ability to turn the score margin around to their favour in the final moment and came out victorious.
The Bosconians, knowing well what KGVI is capable of, did well in the first half to shut them down and get an early goal through Philip Waiia.
Waiia’s goal came as a shock and that one goal difference did not deter the defending champs from scoring.
Some minutes later, KGVI improved passing and were lucky to find an equaliser through Nickson Ofata.
However, the Bosconians gave a good run toward the end of the first half and was fortunate to regain their lead through a goal by Besa making it 2-1 by the buffer.
Trailing by a goal deficit, KGVI clawed their way back into the match by the second stanza and came out with a superb performance to score twice through Ofata for his second and Leon Kaura nailing in the winner for the 3-2 win.
The school hockey league continues today with another two matches.
FIVE of the athletes representing Solomon Islands in the Melanesian Athletics Championship which will get underway in Vanuatu this week will compete for spots in this year’s Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.
The Melanesian Athletics Championship will begin today in Port Vila and conclude on Friday.
Solomon Islands will be represented by a total of nine athletes were five of them are all under-18 representatives.
The competition for the under-18 category of the Melanesian Championship serves a qualifier for the Youth Olympic Games due to take place in Argentina in October.
The five youth reps are sprinters Esther Haga and Ronward Hinarua; middle distance runner Esther Vilivata and long distance runners Rickson Roremae and Peterson Bako Junior.
The five youngsters left with the rest of the Solomon Islands athletics team members on Monday which also includes four others namely Sharon Firisua, Diane Matekali, Jimmy Kumuhula and Ben Sale.
Kumuhula and Sale are also youth participants but their age does not fall below under-18 and therefore rules them out of the YOG qualifiers.
The duo will instead compete in the open category.
President of Athletic Solomons James Iroga said the team is dominated by youths.
“The idea is to groom them for future international competitions and so as participate in the qualifiers for the YOG.
“We are focusing on providing international experience to promising new athletes whom we are targeting for next year’s Pacific Games in Samoa.
“Looking towards Samoa we have to identify the weaknesses in our squad and target athletes who can strengthen our team in those areas,” the former national decathlon rep told SunSPORTS last week.
The team will return on Thursday May 15.
The bi-annual competition involves athletes from countries in the Melanesian region including Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Norfolk Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
THE Solomon Islands Rugby Union Federation (SIRUF) will send over the formal letters to disqualify Auki and Kilusakwalo Community High Schools on Friday 11th May.
Both Malaita Provincial High Schools were recently disqualified from this year’s Credit Corporation High School 7s competition after they were found guilty of breaching competition regulations.
SIRUF Chief Executive Officer Mr Gerald Oiaka told SunSPORTS on Tuesday that their office had already notified Malaita Rugby Union Association (MRUA) President Mr Martin Oto regarding the matter.
“Formal letter will be sent this week. Both schools fielded in non-students during the Credit Corporation High School 7s competition,” Mr Oiaka said.
“They were good players but the problem was that they were not students. Some of them had been out of the education system for quite some time.
“If the players who came with the two schools for the competition were enrolled in the other schools around Auki it would have been alright for them to take part.
“We’ve already notified the MRUA President and both schools regarding the disqualification and are calling on the school to return the trophy to SIRUF,” he adds.
The official decision on the matter whether to penalize both schools according to Mr Oiaka will be made later but the formal letter for the disqualification of both teams will be sent on Friday.
Meanwhile, Selco 1 Stormers were crowned the new Credit Corporation High School 7s champions after winning the rematch for the semi and grand final matches against White River Community High School at the Town Ground Rugby Stadium last Saturday.
A high rank official from the regional basketball governing body will arrive in Honiara next week.
The official, David Crocker who is the Regional Director for Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) Oceania will be here to meet with members of the Solomon Islands Basketball Federation (SIBF) interim executive.
During the meeting, Crocker will help SIBF re-establish itself as a credible sporting organisation and also aid them to work on moving their development aspirations forward.
SIBF interim General Secretary Uriel Matanani told SunSPORTS yesterday that the planned visit by Crocker is crucial.
“During the visit, we will discuss important matters pertaining to moving basketball forward in Solomon Islands,” he said.
SunSPORTS understand that the national basketball governing body is currently operating under an interim committee since December last year upon a request by the FIBA Oceania.
This follows the ousting of former president Brian Pongotapu and his executive last November requesting them to step aside and let an interim committee take over or else face suspensions.
Over the past five months, FIBA Oceania has been working closely with the interim committee to revitalise SIBF.
According to Matanani, an election for the new SIBF office bearers will also be held during the one-day visit of the regional director.
