BY ROMINAH FAKA
Court has adjourned the case against former member of parliament Samuel Manetoali for May 6.
This was after prosecution told court it had not received any update from the court of appeal registry regarding the appeal by the former MP on his case last year.
Prosecution told court it had not seen Manetoali’s case in the alternative court of appeal case list.
Prosecution added, the last sitting of the proposed court of appeal will take two weeks, which will commence from May 20-31.
Court therefore adjourned the matter, instructing prosecution to check for updates at the court of appeal registry.
Manetoali was excused from appearing until further directions and his bail was extended.
In 2019 the Honiara magistrate court acquitted Manetoali of 18 counts of conversion after ruling on a No Case to answer submitted by Manetoali and his lawyer.
Prosecution appealed the magistrate’s decision at the High Court.
Chief Justic Sir Albert Palmer heard the appeal and dismissed the eight counts of conversion and ordered the matter to be remitted to the Magistrate court for a re-trial before another a different magistrate for 10 counts of conversion.
The allegation against Manetoali is related to the payment of $100,000 of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) into the Gao/Bugotu Account with the ANZ Bank between the 24th of December 2014 and 4th of January of 2015.
In the acquittal report, the total of ten different people were recorded as recipients of a total of $7,322 for the payment of medical, cartoon beers, old people assistance, wedding assistance and gallons of petrol.
The recipients after they did not receive the funds through their names as been appeared in the payment voucher, they went and report the matter to the police.
The allegation against Manetoali related to the payment of $ 100,000 of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) into the Gao/Bugotu Account with the ANZ Bank between December 24, 2014 and January 4, 2015.
In the acquittal report, the totals of ten different people were recorded as recipients of a total of $ 7,322 for the payment of medical, cartoon beers, old people assistance, wedding assistance and gallons of petrol.
The recipients after they did not receive the funds through their names as been appeared in the payment voucher, they went and report the matter to the police.
Olivia Ratu Manu of Office of DPP act for crown and Jim Seuika of DNS and Partners Law Firm act for defence.
