BY ROMINAH FAKA
The Magistrate Court has acquitted Makasi Dolaiano, a former exhibit clerk accused of stealing over $336,000.
This followed the successful submission of a ‘No Case to Answer’ (NCTA) by defence.
Mr Dolaiano was charged with one count of stealing as a clerk, contrary to section 273(b) (i) of the Penal Code. And he plead not guilty to the charge.
The trial was conducted at Magistrate Court, where prosecution called a total of 11 witnesses before closing its case.
Following the close of the prosecution’s case, defence submitted that the evidence presented was insufficient to warrant continuing the trial.
Prosecution strongly objected and urged court to allow the case to proceed to a full trial.
However, in delivering the NCTA ruling yesterday, Presiding Principal Magistrate Beneteti Tearo orally ruled in favour of the defendant saying there was insufficient evidence presented by prosecution against defendant.
Hence, court upheld the NCTA application and finds the defendant has no case to answer and acquitted him of the charge.
Court has advised that a written ruling with the elaborating details of the decision will be made available within one week’s times to both counsels.
Facts of the case said Dolaiano stole $336,891.20 that was kept as an exhibit for a trial in the Honiara Magistrate Court in October 2020.
The defendant was said to be one of the officers manning the exhibit storage facility at the time when the $300k went missing in October 2020.
The $300k belong to One Link Pacifica customers.
Police recovered the monies after they arrested the manager of the money investment scheme in April 2020.
The 300k was initially kept at the exhibit storage facility at the Central Police Station and then transferred to the exhibit storage facility at the Rove Police Headquarters where it went missing.
George Gray of Public Solicitor’s Office represents Dolaiano and Mrs Olivia Ratu Manu of Office of Public Prosecution stood for the crown.
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