BY BARNABAS MANEBONA

ST PETER the Rock youths at Voruvoru, Northwest Choiseul, held a “Bring and Buy” fundraising at their Mission Station last week being part of their programs for this year.

According to Mr Nerio Ulemiki the media coordinator for Christ the King Parish at Voruvoru reporting, cooked and uncooked foods were on sale including playing card games and doing music requests.

“The amount of money raised was more than a thousand dollars in which the youths thanked their parents and the Voruvoru Zone community for their support towards their programs for this year,” said Ulemiki.

St Peter the Rock Voruvoru Youths had held their first weekend activity for this year earlier on this month covering topics for debate on logging activities and alcohol consumption.

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

GIZO

POLITICAL rivals in the Gizo/ Kolombangara are encouraging voters to think wisely before they vote as the by-election date approaches for the constituency.

People living around Gizo urban and rural areas are in a tight race with their intending candidates, meaning the by-election political race will affect human activities within families, communities, churches and tribes.

A Mr Andrew Koke told Island Sun Gizo yesterday that a lot of doubts are going on as some voters are still in a tight race among candidates as the by-election looms closer.

Koke encourages people to think for themselves and not to vote according to other people’s whims.

“There are few people that never participate in any community development plans who start to jump up and down trying to be a leader in this upcoming by-election political battle.

“We should do away with those candidates who influence voters with money.

“We people are to decide who should be in power to be our voice, ear and mouth in parliament to lead Gizo/Kolombangara Constituency.”

Koke said voters must look for the right leader or person who will lead Gizo/Kolombangara constituency.

He urges everyone to at least try and make this by-election as clean as possible.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

Auki

MALAITA Magistrate Court yesterday conducted the first mention into the Auki Travellers Motel murder case in Auki.

The mention was to check with the status of the investigation into the case.

Police prosecution told Principal Magistrate on the status of the investigation and assured that their inquiry into the case is expecting completion soon.

Police prosecution said Auki police (CID) is now working on the final report of the investigation, and police prosecution should forward it to the office of the DPP before the end of the week.

Defence applied for a Long Form Preliminary Inquiry (LFPI) into the case.

The defence asked to test statements collected from two of the prime witnesses of the case, Mr Benjamin Buia (accused’s husband) and Ms Unity (Buia’s sister).

Principal Magistrate, Mr Edwin Saramo adjourned the case for May 1 to set date for the LFPI before the next appearance.

A 25-year-old mother was arrested at her home in Auki after a three-month intensive investigation by Auki police into the incident.

The mother was apprehended for the alleged murder of a young female in her 20s at the Auki Traveller’s Motel on December 23 last year.

THE Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Logistics Department handed over new Land Cruiser vehicles to the Police Response Team (PRT) and the National Community Policing Department on Tuesday this week at Rove Police Headquarters in Honiara.

Deputy Director of RSIPF Department of Logistics and Stores, Inspector Tony Pitamama says, “One Land Cruiser trooper vehicle is allocated to PRT by the RSIPF Fleet Committee.

“The other Land Cruiser is allocated to the National Community Policing Department.

“The two vehicles were allocated to these two departments based on a vehicle need assessment conducted and submitted to the RSIPF Fleet Committee.

“A proposed audit tour for provincial police stations is being scheduled and this is to determine the RSIPF assets including vehicles before submission for vehicle allocation to the provinces, other departments and divisions within the RSIPF.

“The vehicles are part of the seven vehicles purchased by the RSIPF last year 2017, through the Solomon Islands Government budget and strengthening program for police.”

The handing over of the vehicles was witnessed by the Director of the National Response Department, Chief Superintendent Stanley Riolo with one of his PRT officers and Senior Sergeant Martin Haga of the National Community Policing Department.

And representation the RSIPF Logistics and Stores, Sergeant Wilkinson Laejama and another from Police Garage Unit who handed the keys to officers of receiving Departments.

–POLICE MEDIA

DEPUTY Commissioner (DC) for Operations of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), Gabriel Manelusi has met the Gizo Crime Prevention Board in Western Province on April 16, 2018, as part of his tour to the provinces.

Mr Manelusi was accompanied by the Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Western province, Chief Superintendent Mathias Lenialu when he met the Board.

“It is a great opportunity for me to hear the views of the members of the Gizo Crime Prevention Board about the National Crime Prevention Strategy and more especially the initiatives taken to implement the Strategy,” says Manelusi.

“It is my pleasure to meet 14 members of this Board and explain to them how the National Crime Prevention Strategy works.”

A member of the Board says, “I really want to thank Deputy Commissioner Gabriel Manelusi, for once more reminding us of our roles and responsibilities to serve our communities and nation by putting hands together to prevent crime before it happens.”

Mr Lenialu said, “I would like to thank Deputy Commissioner Manelusi for the presentation to my Gizo Crime Prevention Board and also to members of the Board for their effort to attend this very important meeting.

“I continue to remind all good people of Western Province to work together to strengthen our relationship in order each community are free from crime.”

–POLICE MEDIA

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRINCIPAL Magistrate Jim Seuika will decide on the bail application made on behalf of an Asian man, Thien Seng Wong who is alleged of human trafficking, this Friday.

The defence lawyer from the Public Solicitor’s Office made the application on behalf of his client yesterday.

Previously there were two applications made by the previous defence lawyer and the court had refused the application on the same applicant and now for the third time the accused is applying for another bail.

Mr Wong is a 55-year-old male from Malaysia alleged of human trafficking incident.

His lawyer, George Gray has submitted to the court that there is a change of circumstance on this case and also the accused has been explained of the protection orders and the need for him to comply with the orders of the court.

And there is no reason for the refusal on his application for bail.

Mr Gray said if he is granted bail the accused will certainly abide by any bail condition granted by the court.

He argues that the trial has not even started and the court cannot just keep the accused in custody.

Meanwhile the Prosecution objected the application that there is no change of circumstance as the defence mentioned.

This is the case against Wong, an employee of the Malaysian logging giant Earthmovers and he is facing count of human trafficking under the section 77 of the Immigration Act 2012.

He was accused of carrying out internal human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation between November 30, 2015 and January 2016.

The prosecution alleged that Seng had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl in 2015 up until 2016.

The alleged incident occurred at a logging camp in Isabel province where the accused was working as a manager at the logging camp at the time of the alleged incident.

Prosecution said the father of the girl was also working at that logging camp.

The camp belongs to Jubilant Development Logging, an offshoot of Earth Movers logging company.

That logging company has a camp in Isabel as well as in Vella La Vella.

It was alleged the accused started living with the girl at the Isabel logging camp.

He also took the girl with him when he was transferred to the camp at Vella la Vella.

The accused was arrested after a joint operation made up of police and immigration officers investigated the matter following a media article on the matter.

The office of the Director Public Prosecution appears on behalf of the crown on the case.