BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
THE case against the Member of Parliament for Savo-Russell, Dickson Panakitasi Mua, has adjourned for November 21 to allow the defence lawyer time to provide documents for intended bail variation.
Defence Lawyer representing the accused has informed the court that they are intending to make bail variation once all the documents and travel arrangement of the accused is set.
Therefore he sought the court’s liberty should all those documents be set, the case can be relisted any time during the cause of the adjournment for bail variation.
Prosecution also confirmed in court that disclosures have already been provided to the defence.
Mua was arrested and charged by police in relation to the offence of alleged conversion.
He was charged in relation to an incident which occurred in 2013 – allegation that he converted $3million shipping grants for other purposes.
The allegation relates to an application that was submitted to the Ministry of Infrastructure Development by Mua; and according to the proposal document, the MP was seeking $3m from the SIG through the NTF in 2013 to purchase a ship for Savo Russells Constituency.
The proposal was processed and approved by the MID and the funds were paid on December 30, 2013.
It was alleged that on January 2, 2014 the Constituency Development Officer of Savo/Russells collected the cheque from the Finance and deposited it to the Savo Russell constituency bank account.
Police further alleged that the MP started to make a series of withdrawals from the account when the money was deposited until that money was completely withdrawn on February 4, 2014.
Investigation revealed that instead of using the $3m to purchase the ship as its intended purpose, the MP allegedly paid $2.8m to a local company for the purpose of items such as OBMs and other equipment for distribution to his supporters in Savo Russell constituency.
It also further alleged that $200,000 of the money was withdrawn as cash and use for other expenses and not related to the purposes of the shipping grant.
Bradley Dalipanda of the Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown on the case while Lazarus Kwaiga is representing the accused in court.
