POLICE at Taro in the Choiseul Province have arrested a 37-year-old suspect for an alleged unlawful wounding incident at Tuzu Village in South Choiseul on July 17, 2018.

The suspect has been placed in police custody as investigations into the incident continue.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Choiseul Province Superintendent Vincent Eria says, “The alleged unlawful wounding incident occurred at Tuzu Village, South Choiseul and was reported via satellite phone by a member of the community in that area.

“It is alleged the victim was attacked by the suspect with a knife chopping off one of his fingers.

“It is further alleged the suspect also damaged the victim’s 60 horse power outboard motor (OBM) engine.

“It is a sad incident and police will not tolerate this kind of behavior and attitude in our communities.

“I appeal to both parties involved to refrain from taking the law in your own hands but allow police to investigate the matter,” says Superintendent Eria.

“I encourage members of the communities in around Tuzu Village come forward and assist police with its investigation.

“You can contact officers at the Taro Police Station on phone 63199 or call the Police National Communication Centre on 23666 or the Police Toll Free line 999.”

–POLICE MEDIA

ALL schools under the Honiara City Council Education Authority have been urged to submit the $ 100 registration fees for students.

Chairman for HCC Education Authority Cr Alfrence Fatai made the call following noncompliance by some of the schools.

“I want to remind all school heads and administration to comply with what has been endorsed in accordance with the 2018 budget ordinance of the Council.

“Since the second semester is about to begin, I strongly advise those who are yet to pay to come forward and do so,” he said.

The Chairman added that failure to comply will result in actions taken by the HCC Education Authority, with schools responsible.

He said it has already been passed and endorsed under the ordinance and should not be disregarded, but to be seriously adhered to.

It is understood that most of the schools under the HCC Education Authority have yet to pay up the fees.

–HCC PRESS

By Mike Puia

ONE of the Commissioners of the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission (SIEC), Mrs Taeasi Sanga, has urged Registration Managers (RM) and Registration Officers (RO) to be honest when carrying out the voter registration exercise.

The SIEC has commenced training for RMs and ROs in Honiara on Tuesday.

Speaking at her opening remarks, Sanga said the voter registration process is the most important part of the electoral process.

She said the issue of eligible voters’ names missing in voters list can cause many problems.

She said there are places where voters who did not find their name on the voters list and reacted by burning or damaging ballot boxes or boycott the election process.

Sanga said this usually happen when people found out that their names are not in the voting list.

She said missing of names in voters list only stir anger among people toward the Electoral Commission.

Commissioner Sanga said usually their Commission takes the blame for anything that went wrong with the voters’ registration and list.

She reminded participants attending the training that they now work for the Electoral Commission and the Commission have every trust in them.

Sanga said if RMs and ROs do not carry out their work properly it will backfire on their Commission.

She said the role that RMs and ROs do will be tempting but they must stick to the rules.

“Just be honest, I think that’s the right way of putting this,” Sanga said.

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

PRINCIPAL Magistrate Augustine Aulanga has convicted the former RSIPF traffic Director in the Honiara Magistrate Court yesterday.

This is the case of Charles Solomon Habatia a former traffic director who was charged and tried for one count of conversion, contrary to section 278 (1) (c)(i) of the Penal Code.

In 2016, he held a title of a Police Superintendent and was the Operation Manager for Honiara city.

By virtue of his position, he was responsible for the formulation, coordination and management of police operations of various departments or units in the Honiara city.

Before June 2016, he applied for a Solomon Islands government money in a form of special imprest of $24,000 from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury. The application was approved and the money was raised and paid to the defendant. It was purposely to fund police operations within the Honiara city.

Prosecution in their allegation said that he did not use the whole of the $24,000 for the police operations. Instead, he fraudulently converted and used part of it for his own benefit. This occurred between 3rd of June to 31st of August 2016.

The prosecution said the accused retired the money in a spreadsheet and attached a number of receipts obtained from individuals and business entities. In the imprest retirement, he outlined certain transactions for various police operations under different departments like; the Liquor Unit, Criminal Response Unit and Naha Police. However, the Heads of these departments were not aware of such engagement or transactions. Those receipts in the prosecution’s case were false. They were produced by the defendant to deceive the Solomon Islands government in the retirement of the money.

Meanwhile the defendant denies the fraudulent conversion of the money. He remained silent and called no evidence for his case. He ardently emphasized in his closing submission that he did not receive the money at all and further denied any wrong doing on his part. He argued that there was no evidence to prove the allegation and therefore, he should be acquitted.

“I am mindful of the legal requirement that even if the defendant remains silent, the onus is on the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. If there is any doubt, the defendant must be given the benefit of that doubt.

“As I have mentioned earlier, the contested issue in this case is; whether or not the defendant has fraudulently converted part of the $24,000. In considering this issue, the following are the pertinent questions the court needs to consider. First, whether he converted part of the $24,000 to his own benefit. Second, if so, then whether or not he did so fraudulently and that is; (a) without the consent of the Solomon Islands government (b) knowing that he has no such consent (c) not honestly believing that he had any claim of right to the part of the money and (d) whether or not he intended to permanently deprive the Solomon Islands government of the part of the $24,000”, Magistrate Aulanga said.

Magistrate Aulanga said before addressing the question, it is pertinent for to make a finding on how much money out of the $24,000 has been used by the defendant for the police operations or its rightful purposes as established by the evidence.

“In my view, these receipts look so fishy and very suspicious. Despite they have the business stamps, they are not convincing, questionable and utterly dubious. They are simply against the logic in issuing of receipts to customers in any business transaction. No reputable businesses like Professional Taxi Services and Technology Plus would do receipting in such manner.

“Another serious matter is this. I have noted that receipt exhibited 20 and 21 were issued by Professional Taxi Services and Technology Plus. These are two different business entities altogether. A closer look at their receipt numbers will show that they both used the same receipt book. Leaf 29 (0465729) of the same receipt book was issued by Technology Plus while leaf 74 (0465774) was issued by Professional Taxi Services. Under no circumstances this could happen in any business.

“Two different business entity cannot use the same receipt book. One must be different. Viewed in this, the inference I can draw here is; these are false receipts made up by the defendant himself to suit his own malevolent purpose”, Magistrate Aulanga said.

Magistrate Aulanga said the accused knew very well that it was given to him for that purpose, yet he made a conscious decision to use it for purposes other than what it was intended for.

He did not have any bonafide claim of right over that money since it was special imprest money. His action therefore deprives the Royal Solomon Islands Police as an agent of the State or even the Solomon Islands government as whole from the intended police operational services that money was committed or allocated for.

“In the absence of permission or approval from MOFT, is this not fraudulent conduct? I don’t think so, and therefore, I am satisfied that the vast array of evidence presented by the prosecution has overwhelmingly showed that he had a fraudulent mind when dealing with the money and therefore, converted part ($21,700.00) of the money to his own benefit.

“I find the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and accordingly convict the defendant, Charles Solomon Habatia, as charged”, Magistrate Aulanga said.