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Murder suspect yet to face court

Written by
Samie Waikori
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In-court

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

THE 18-year-old male arrested for the suspicious death of a man from Fulikaomae village found beneath Fiu bridge in Central Kwara’ae is yet to appear before court.

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Malaita Province, Superintendent Leslie Kili confirmed to SunAuki saying the suspect is still remand in police custody in Auki.

He said initially 11 suspects were brought for questioning and a 18 -year-old person from Kilusakwalo village near Fiu River was arrested and remanded.

Kili said Auki police have so far spoken with a number of witnesses and also they key witness.

He said the suspect is still in his 14-day remand, adding the prosecution is likely to apply for another 14-day to allow for further investigation.

Kili also confirmed that parties related to the incident have recently reconciled at the Auki police station to calm down the situation.

Wale: STEM vital for vibrant economy

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Leader of Opposition, Matthew Wale

By EDDIE OSIFELO

A focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and skills training is strategic to our efforts to build a vibrant sustainable economy.

Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale stated this during his debate on the sine die motion in Parliament on Thursday December 15.

“It is important that we engage in a national conversation on what we want to see our education system deliver, both in terms of the economy and society more generally.

“We must be ambitious in our education system, and aim to deliver a world class education to our young,” he said.

Wale said our future in the world must not be built on the assumption that we will forever be dependent on aid from other countries.

“Let us educate for that future when Solomon Islands can stand on its own two feet and hold its head high among nations and advocate for its interests without being compromised by perceived need for aid from donor countries.

“We have become more, not less, dependent on foreign aid over the last ten years,” he said.

“We do need foreign aid.

“But our increasing dependency on it must give us pause for reflection as leaders,” he said.

Wale said it seems the more foreign aid we receive, the more of it we need.

“Given the geopolitical competition, we are to expect more foreign aid.

“We must of course leverage this competition to the maximum in favour of our national interests.

“However, we must exploit it as the opportunity to lay the foundations for a sustainable economy into the future,” he added.

Gov’t told to address youth challenges here

Written by
Eddie Osifelo
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Opposition leader, Matthew Wale

By EDDIE OSIFELO

The challenges posed by the large and growing youth bulge in our country must be central to all government policy.

Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale stressed this during his debate on the sine die motion in Parliament on December 15.

“We must not continue on as if these challenges will somehow go away or be addressed by others. Government has to lead,” Wale said.

“Of course, the most important tool government has to address these challenges is through economic policy,” he added.

Wale said economic and employment opportunities offer the best and most sustainable solution to many of the challenges posed by the youth bulge.

He said it requires an overall economic policy framework that holds together various policy responses that aim to attract the right quality of investments and create the quality of jobs and opportunities our young people need.

“I am concerned about the lack of a coherent framework of policies in that pursuit,” he said.

Furthermore, Wale said he’s particularly concerned about the mining sector, especially the quality of licence holders.

“We shoot ourselves in the foot when we issue prospecting and mining licences to speculators and those with dubious reputation,” he added.

TROPHY THEFT THWARTED

Written by
Samie Waikori
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The Solomon Cup trophy. On its right is the fair-team award, which the Eagles also won. On the left is the golden hand individual award, also awarded to Malaita’s goal-keeper

Suspect hospitalized, say witnesses

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

A PERSON who tried to steal the Solomon Cup from the Malaita provincial chamber has been caught just before he could get away with the trophy on the night of Thursday December 15.

The incident happened at provincial capital Auki.

Malaita Eagles won the trophy after the Solomon Cup competition ended in Honiara the previous week.

Members of the Malaita Eagles squad arrived back in Auki and had their victory dinner on the evening of the incident.

The trophy was kept at the provincial chambers.

SunAuki was told the person who attempted to steal the trophy entered the building and took off with the trophy.

When security guards were alerted, they gave chase and caught up with the thief and the trophy in his hands.

“He was only in his underpants when the guards caught up with him,” an eye-witness told SunAuki.

The guards took away the trophy from him.

Another eye-witness said the alleged thief was referred to Kilu’ufi hospital for medical attention for injuries sustained when the guards caught up with him.

When contacted, Malaita Provincial Police Commander Lesley Kili said the incident has not been reported to them.

Guadalcanal to hand over schools to Catholics

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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Guadalcanal-Premier-Francis-Sade-delivering-his-speech-

BY NED GAGAHE

Guadalcanal Province is in the process of handing over its Senior Secondary schools to the Catholic Church.

Premier Francis Sade revealed this in his speech at the Marara Community High School annual graduation and prize giving on December 15.

Sade said they have already approved Ruavatu Provincial Secondary School as part of its achievements in the education sector.

Sade said four other schools will also be handed over to the mission.

The schools are Tanagai, Visale, Tangarare and Wanderer Bay.

“In terms of education I would like to highlight some of the achievements. In the education sector work has been in progress to strengthen the partnership between Guadalcanal Province and the national government, church authorities.

“I would like to announce that we have already approved the handover of Ruavatu Provincial Secondary School to Catholic Arch-Diocese.

“That has been approved and we are looking forward to handover Tanagai, Visale, Tangarare and Wanderer Bay.

“But by doing that it does not mean that we want to get rid of the responsibility. We see the importance of education and building a strong community.

“I informed the Archbishop in our discussion that our intention to do this is, we do not want to educate people only but we want young people with moral values and ethics,” Premier Sade said.

Tulagi Well murder case committed to High Court

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

The case of a 56-year-old man alleged of killing another man on September 26, 2022 in Tulagi has been committed to the High Court for trial.

Dickson Sina is charged with one count of murder in relation to the gruesome killing at Smoking Area in Tulagi on September 26.

He entered a not guilty plea and a short form preliminary Inquiry was conducted on his case.

Allegations said the deceased was found inside a water well located a few metres away from the main road used by trucks and people who live in that area. Few houses are located near the well. Residents near the Tulagi wharf use the well for bathing and washing.

On Tuesday, September 27, RSIPF Forensic officers and Tulagi police with the support of Tulagi medical team conducted a thorough examination and search in and around the crime scene.

The deceased’s body was transported to Honiara and a post mortem conducted to form part of police investigation.

Police said initial reports they received was that the deceased left his home for market on Saturday morning and did not return.

Monday the following week his body was discovered inside the well.

Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown.

Court to get update on former One Link director

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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In-court

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

THE case of prisoner Charles Dora will come back to court on December 27, 2022 for prosecution to update the court regarding Dora’s bank account.

Dora’s case was mentioned in court yesterday for counsels to update the court regarding the court-order to freeze his bank account.

However, since counsels are yet to sort out that issue, the court adjourned the case to December 27 for further mention.

The defendant is currently serving prison time.

Dora was guilty for obtaining money from individual investors on separate occasions within a 9-month period in 2019 ranges from SBD 250 to SBD 95,750. Furthermore, the total sum of monies which were deceitfully obtained by the accused from the people who invested in the scheme within the said period totaled up to SBD 56,440,475 which is a very significant amount to get from the ordinary and struggling people who invested their monies.

The court also heard that more than 90 percent of the total amount has not been recovered to date except for the SBD 121, 791.20 which was recovered from the defendant.

The court during its sentence said that it is obviously clear that the defendant carefully planned to operate the scheme to defraud people by collecting monies and promising them with higher returns or profits within a certain period. He registered a business name to make it look reputable and authentic to the members of the public.

The defendant had taken advantage of the financial situation in the country to deceive and fraudulently fool people to part with their monies, exacerbated by the cargo-cult mentality normally promoted and perpetuated by the “quick get rich money schemes.

Therefore, after consideration of all circumstances of the case the court imposed a sentence of two years on the defendant and he is currently serving the sentences in custody.

Judgment on Chinese couple, next week

Written by
Jennifer Kusapa
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BY JENNIFER KUSAPA

Judgment on the case against a Chinese couple alleged of stealing money from their employer in Auki around December 2021 is set for December 19.

Vivian Xi Tong and Carman Qiusheng Liu are facing charges of larceny by servant and Embezzlement.

The charges are related to an incident alleged to have occurred on December 24, 2021.

It was alleged that the owner went to China in June 2021 and was not able to return due to the Covid restrictions; the couple looked after the complainant’s shop at Auki.

Prosecution alleged that upon the owner’s return from China he noticed that his shop was not doing well compared to before he left for China in June 2021.

After some investigation by himself, it was alleged that the owner found foreign currencies in the couple’s room and also discovered mobile phone transactions being made in the amount of $200,000 to China.

Prosecution said that foreign currencies discovered are, USD$4,160, AUD$6,100, NZD$1,490 and local currency of SBD$20,000.

A private lawyer Jim Seuika is representing the defendants.

Office of the Director Public Prosecution appears for the crown.

Customs collected $1.2 billion in revenue, 2022

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division (SICED) Comptroller Jim Sutton

BY NED GAGAHE

Solomon Islands Customs and Excise Division has collected a staggering $1.2 billion dollars in its financial year 2022.

Customs Comptroller Jim Sutton revealed this at the induction of 18 new recruit Customs officers on December 15.

The 18 new recruit officers were part of the graduate trainee programme undertaken by the Customs Division within the Ministry of Finance and Treasury as part of its reform programs that was geared towards modernizing the Customs Division.

Sutton said that the Customs is the second largest revenue collector for the government.

Sutton added that on daily basis Customs can collect millions of dollars in a single day in terms of its revenue collection.

“Customs collects revenue and we are the second largest revenue collection after Inland Revenue Division.

“At the moment just for your information we are sitting around 1.2 billion dollars just for this year that we have collected so far,” Sutton said.

SADE OVERCOMES THE CHALLENGES

Written by
Ofani Eremae
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0

Province’s revenue collection now improving

BY NED GAGAHE

Guadalcanal Premier Francis Sade says since he came into power in 2019, a lot of challenges, mainly with finances, confronted his province.

Speaking at the graduation and prize giving ceremony of Marara Community High School on December 15, Sade said when he assumed leader, the province was already in debt of $37 million.

“So we came in and inherited $37 million in debt, an administration that is not functioning and a financial system that does not work,” the premier said.

“It does not tell how much money we spend and where. Our revenue was the lowest of all the provinces in Solomon Islands,” he added.

“We only manage to collect $4 million in our first year,

“But I would like to assure you since we came in, we put in reforms that resulted in strong financial management system.

“We have improved our revenue collection from $4 million to $12 million in nine months and we hit $20 million in 2022.

“We have retired 24 old workers and we took in fresh people to manage the administration of the province.

“I would like to assure you my good people of Guadalcanal, Tandai, my good parents, we are working very hard, we are sacrificing all that we can to make sure that Guadalcanal Province delivers the services it needs to deliver to you especially in education, health and economic development.

“We will continue and strive to improve and I am sure that before we leave office we will put in place a system that will guide the next government to lead us forward.

“We are aiming to raise a revenue of more than $100 million in one year and that is possible.

“So far we have reviewed our property rates and ordinance so we can raise up to $100 million on property rates.

“Whether you are a Fixed Term Estate (FTE) holder or lease, property rates are payable to the Guadalcanal Province at the end of every year.”

Sade said the province, up to this year, has emerged from the many challenges and financial woes.

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