Transparency Solomon Islands questions government and police over delayed investigations into $309m ESP payment
BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Transparency Solomon Islands is asking government what has become of the investigations into the ‘grand theft’ involved in the $309 million economic stimulus package payout 2020-2021.
It is now a year since the Auditor General’s (OAG) report from October last year exposed mega-fraud involved in the payout of the ESP. The ESP was meant to keep businesses afloat amid impacts of covid-19.
Police say they are investigating but to date they have been silent on the matter. The last time police spoke out about the investigations was May 7 this year when RSIPF commissioner Mostyn Mangau told a press conference that they were ‘inviting individuals for interview’.
TSI Chief Executive Officer Ruth Liloqula expressed concerns regarding the police investigation saying since the release of the ESP Audit report by the Auditor General’s office on October 2, 2024, there have been no arrests made or charges laid against those implicated in the report to date.
Liloqula said this raises concerns about the police’s handling of the situation and more importantly Government’s (GNUT) commitment to ensure fraud of such levels never occur again, especially in times of disaster.
In an interview with Island Sun this week, Liloqula said these allegations permit a thorough investigation.
She also raised concerns regarding the willingness, commitment, capability and skills of the police in this investigation; in light of the huge support received from donor partners such as Australia, New Zealand, and China, she believes should assist the police in their investigation efforts.
“Unfortunately, according to reliable sources, a significant number of records from the ESP have gone missing from the Prime Minister’s office. That is what I am aware of. Instead of being housed in the Ministry of Finance, they are kept there and are unaccounted for. Who should be held responsible for this? The Auditor General was only able to examine 10 percent of the required document a situation that police may also face.
“We are aware that secretary to the prime minister (SPM) and secretary to the cabinet (STC) are the two prominent figures in that office. It is important that someone is held accountable for failing to supervise the handling of that money,” Liloqula said.
She also reflected on the previous national general elections regarding police investigations into a number of politicians nearing completion and with assurances that charges will be laid soon with regard to the misuse and abuse of CDF.
“After election we hear no more of the status of these investigations and it is business as usual -no further actions were taken.
“What does this mean? It is a sign that indicates we do not have a police force that is independent of political influence when it comes to carrying out its mandated functions under law. A police force that is no longer answerable to the law that stipulates how it is to carry out its duties and responsibilities but one that is heavily or is significantly influenced by political agenda. Although we may not have definitive proof, the signs are there.
“Media reports suggest that there is lack of accountability, performance and investigations have become stagnant especially of the findings of the Auditor General’s audit report into the ESP implies a compromised police investigation.
“Maybe a police force that is no longer independent in performing its duties as mandated by the constitution and the police act. We must save our police force from political capture.
“Consider the One Link issue involving $300,000; an amount that went missing in the care of police within its office, no one is charged for it. If our police force is unable to safeguard money in its custody, explain how the drugs went missing in its care etc. what capability does our police possess to investigate cases beyond their jurisdiction?
“Furthermore, we must urge our development partners to build our police capability and capacity in investigative skills, talents, knowledge etc. so that they can do their work and collect the evidence they need to charge offenders.
“They now have vehicles and those implicated in the Auditor General’s audit report are not in the provinces but in Honiara.
“There is no good enough reason not to have carried out the necessary investigation they are mandated to do and to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
“ESP audit report shows grand theft of public money on a Grand Scale. Use of Public funds for MPs in government has reached excessive levels and is going to get worse if we the people do not demand accountability and sustain public pressure respectfully on our police force to investigate and prosecute.
“There is also the question of whether or not what we are seeing is a case of police corrupting the investigations something that we need also to keep in mind,” TSI CEO said.
Photo: Supplied
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