BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE former employee of the Bemobile company is set to appear in court today.

His case had been set for trial this month but was later vacated due to counsels engaged on this case not being available for the trial.

The accused Mr Eddie Paohawe faces a charge of conversion in relation to incidents which occurred on dates between 2013 and 2014 when he was employed by Bemobile Company.

Prosecution alleged that it was during his employment that he took for his benefit by transferring P2P credits worth SBD$400,358 from the P2P data system to his work mobile number and sold the credit belonging to the said public company.

The company however found him out and reported the case to the police in which he was arrested and charged for the offences.

Office of the Director Public Prosecution prosecutes the case in court while George Gray of the Public Solicitor’s Office represents the accused.

JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case against accused, Luke Kemakeha, will appear for mention today in the Honiara Magistrate Court.

In previous appearances, the court was told that there are documents needed to be sorted be out as one of the incidents occurred some years back.

Kemakeha is charged with one count of unlawfully attempt to strike with knife, one count of causing grievous harm and one count of assault causing actual bodily harm.

This is in relation to incidents which occurred in Ngella, Central Islands province.

By Alfred Sasako

IN what is deemed to be a historic milestone, Russell Islands’ Sevev Land Trust Board has “legally forfeited” the Lever Solomon Ltd’s Fixed Term Estates (FTE) titles in Russell Islands, it was announced this week.

But the Chairman of Russell Islands Plantation Estates Ltd (RIPEL), Patrick Wong described the ownership claim as “a dream”, saying these FTE titles remain in the name of Lever Solomons Limited.

Sevev Tribal Chief and Chairman of the Sevev Land Trust Board, Leslie Norris, yesterday confirmed the takeover to Island Sun.

Mr Norris said the Sevev Land Trust Board has resorted to the action because LSL has failed to pay up its rentals for the entire Russell Islands Plantation Estates Ltd (RIPEL).

“The people of Russell Islands and indeed Solomon Islands should be relieved that after 100 years of foreign ownership of the plantations on Russell, the Sevev Tribe has resolved the ownership issue.

“We are finally in control,” Norris said.

The ownership claim is certain to open the Pandora’s Box as rival tribes as well as LSL react to the news of the takeover.

In a statement yesterday, the Sevev Land Trust Board said, “Previously, in 2013, the Sevev Land Trust Board had successfully applied and obtained the Perpetual Estates (PE) Titles of the said properties.

“After a long and hard fought legal engagement, the Registrar of Titles had finally registered the forefeiture process according to law,” the statement said.

“This means that Lever Solomon Ltd no longer has any legal claims to the Russell Islands Estates. Any attempts by LSL to enter Russell Islands without the consent or permission of the Sevev Land Trust Board would be considered illegal and amount to trespass.

“By the legal process as undertaken by the Sevev Land Trust Board, Russell Islands is now under the full ownership and control of the indigenous Russell Islanders, thanks to the said Sevev Land Trust Board’s efforts.

“Sevev Land Trust Board, on behalf of the Sevev Tribe, (is) now the legal custodians of the whole of Russell Islands, by law and custom. Any future development considerations in respect of the archipelago will be the onus of the Sevev Land Trust Board,” the statement.

But RIPEL Chairman, Patrick Wong denied that FTEs in the Russell Islands were surrendered in 2011.

“…these FTE titles remain in the name of Lever Solomons Limited,” he said in an email yesterday.

“The documents you have located, looks like the surrender document, formed as an attachment to the Sale Agreement, which the Company had with SIG in 2011.

“This Sale Agreement was executed by the then Prime Minister, the Honourable Danny Philip, and this was witnessed by about 50 people in the Cabinet room plus this signing ceremony was also witnessed by 50 people and recorded on One TV.

“If you look closer at page one, the words written and signed by a Notary Public, was signed by Dennis McGuire of Sol-Law,” Wong said.

“Why are the FTE still with LSL? – simple … because SIG never paid the Purchase Price. The Originals would still be with Sol-Law and were never ever released to SIG; to be filed with the Commissioner of Lands – Registrar of Titles.

“Therefore, any call or notation that LSL has already surrendered the FTE back in 2011 is only a dream,” Mr Wong said.

Commissioner of Lands, Nelson Noapu, was asked whether he was aware of and given consent to the transfer of the RIPEL FTE titles to the Sevev Land Trust Board.

“I am aware that Alex Bartlett got PE over a parcel of Land in Russell Islands, and that this has been challenged in court,” was all he could offer by way of an answer to the question.

It is understood that the Registrar of Titles has written to LSL, advising it of the takeover of the FTE titles by the Sevev Land Trust Board.

THE Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) has acknowledged the move by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) to put a stop to foreigners who are illegally operating businesses which are on the reserved list for local Solomon Islanders.

There have been serious concerns raised recently by members of the small business sector and the general public regarding the alarming take-over of business opportunities reserved for locals such as small trade stores, canteen, fish and chips and other micro and small businesses in the country.

SICCI with 70 percent of its members representing small businesses is concerned that business opportunities reserved for local businesses, as prescribed by the Foreign Investment Act 2005 through the Reserved List has not been adhered to.

SICCI CEO Dennis Meone acknowledged the effort undertaken by the Ministry as timely and a step in the right direction.

“SICCI is a represented body and voice for the private sector and whilst we encourage and strongly support investment into the country through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), it is also imperative that investors do the right by adhering to the laws and policies of Solomon Islands.

“We welcome genuine investors who have the capacity to invest in our local economy and those that will abide with local laws,” added the CEO.

The Solomon Islands Women in Business Association (SIWIBA) has also reached out and informed SICCI that their members were also affected by the influx of non-Solomon Islanders operating the kind of businesses reserved for locals.

“We acknowledged the initiative taken by the government and the leadership shown by the Ministry,” says the CEO.

SICCI also welcomes and supports the creation of the newly Business Monitoring Joint Agency Committee which would comprises of relevant Government agencies and stakeholders.

“The committee will certainly bring more transparency and accountability to the process with a platform for an inclusive stakeholder engagement,” added the CEO.

MCILI’s role has become more diverse and plays a fundamental role in being the link to businesses and investment, and whilst we acknowledge the initiative that has been undertaken it is also important that more support and resourcing is rendered to the ministry.

“Building internal capacity will go a long way in ensuring internal regulatory systems are robust, credible and implemented,” says Meone.

–SICCI PRESS

POLICE in Honiara are currently investigating the death of a 60-year-old foreign national, male, at the Mendana Hotel.

“The deceased was found dead in his hotel room this morning June 18, 2018,” says Assistance Commissioner Crime and Intelligence, Ian Vaevaso.

“Investigations into the matter are ongoing and I want to call on anybody with information to contact your nearest Police station.”

Honiara City Police can be contacted on phone 23304/ 24421 or contact the Police National Communication Centre on phone 23666 or dial the police toll free line 999.

–POLICE MEDIA

OFFICERS at the Henderson police station, Guadalcanal province have arrested a suspect following a stabbing incident at the Guluvoa main road, Marasa, in the weather coast of Guadalcanal on June 2, 2018.

“The 14-year-old juvenile suspect was arrested by police on June 16, 2018 at his home village and is in Police custody to appear before the Magistrate’s court,” says Provincial Police Commander, Guadalcanal province, Superintendent Nixon Manetoga.

“The suspect is charged with one count of attempted murder and will appear before the court for a remand application.”

It is alleged that the victim and the suspect were on their way to the beach when the victim made some jokes.

The suspect then struggled with the victim and then he allegedly stabbed his stomach with a small kitchen knife.

The victim sustained an injury to his stomach.

The victim has been discharged from the hospital awaiting reviews from a doctor.

“I call on relatives of both the victim and the suspect not to take the law into your own hands but to allow police investigations into the matter to continue. Anyone with information on the alleged incident should contact police in Guadalcanal Province,” says Manetoga.

Henderson Police Station can be contacted on phone 36200 or call the Police National Communications Centre on phone 23666 or the police toll free line 999.

–POLICE MEDIA

POLICE in Honiara have arrested a suspect in relation to the death of a 31-year-old male person after being found with a wound to his body outside his rented house in the Koloale area of Central Honiara on June 17, 2018.

The Serious Crime Team within the National Criminal Investigation Department of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) has taken over the investigation into the incident.

Assistant Commissioner (AC) Crime and Intelligence, Ian Vaevaso says, “The alleged incident happened in the early morning of Sunday June 17, 2018.”

“The deceased was seen lying outside his rented house with a wound to his right neck above the collar bone.

“He later died at the National Referral Hospital in Honiara.

“Currently my officers are conducting investigation into the death and arrangements are being made for a post-mortem to be carried out on the body.”

“Police have arrested a suspect in relation to the death but we ask the general public who may have any information on the incident to come forward and report it to police.

“Police extend its sympathy and condolences to the family and relatives of the deceased after your great loss.

“I appeal to relatives of the deceased and suspect not to take the law into your own hands but allow police to investigate the incident,” says Vaevaso.

–POLICE MEDIA

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case of a 55-year-old man from Malaysia alleged of human trafficking will appear for mention in court.

The accused, Thien Seng Wong, is an employee of Malaysian logging giant Earthmovers and is facing count of human trafficking under the section 77 of the Immigration Act 2012.

He was accused of carrying out internal human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation between November 30, 2015 and January 2016.

Prosecution alleged that Seng had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl in 2015 up until 2016.

The alleged incident occurred at a logging camp in Isabel province where the accused was working as a manager at the logging camp at the time of the alleged incident.

Prosecution said the father of the girl was also working at that logging camp.

The camp belongs to Jubilant Development Logging, an offshoot of Earth Movers logging company.

That logging company has a camp in Isabel as well as in Vella La Vella.

It was alleged the accused started living with the girl at the Isabel logging camp.

He also took the girl with him when he was transferred to the camp at Vella La Vella.

The accused was arrested after a joint operation made up of police and immigration officers investigated the matter following a media article.

The office of the Director Public Prosecution appears on behalf of the crown on the case.