BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Several police officers providing security at the Gold Ridge mining site in Central Guadalcanal have been suspended following allegations of stealing gold ore, according to sources within the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF).
The officers, who were part of a security operation at the mine, are accused of collecting high-grade mineral soil in bags of rice and later panning the soil for gold and selling it for personal gain after their shifts.
A landowner and miner from Bita village, Aldrin Smith, told Island Sun last week that alleged misconduct by police officers was one of the contributing factors that led to the burning of machinery and equipment at the Gold Ridge mining site on Tuesday, January 20.
Mr Smith said landowners were often treated harshly during security operations, creating fear and anger within the community.
“They chased us badly, and we were afraid to return to work the next day, even though mining is how we earn money. When they chased us, they took our bags of high mineral soil and kept them for themselves, leaving us with nothing when we went home,” he said.
Mr Smith alleged that the practice has been ongoing and that seized mineral soil was not returned to the company, but instead taken by officers for personal benefit.
A senior source within the RSIPF National Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) confirmed that the allegations had been investigated, and officers found involved have been suspended.
“The NCID was aware of these concerns. There is serious concern about how police officers handle these soil samples and lost in their hands. Such behaviour cannot be tolerated,” the spokesman said.
He said the suspensions followed collaborative investigations involving NCID officers and personnel on the ground, adding that the matter was treated with urgency due to its seriousness.
“This is a concern for both the police and the public. We must deal with such behaviour firmly to maintain discipline and public trust,” he said.
Police officers deployed to the Gold Ridge security operation include members from the Police Response Team (PRT), Central Response Unit (CRU), Central Police Station, frontline units, Henderson Police Station, Kukum Traffic Station, and White River Police Station.
The spokesman said that investigations into the matter are ongoing.
