BY JENNIFER KUSAPA
THE case against the management of the West Are’are Constituency shipping company, owners of the vessel Taimareho has been moved to the end of August.
The case was against the Directors, General Manager, Captains and the West Are’are Constituency shipping company.
It was adjourned to August 23 for a possible plea.
The 12 defendants are charged in relation to a sea tragedy involving the Taimareho that caused the death of 27 people at sea in April 2020.
The defendants were supposed to have entered pleas yesterday however, there are certain issues needing to be sort out before the arraignment can be made.
One of the issues of adjournment is that one of the defendants is still in Buala and not available to front court.
Also, the defense requested the crown provide them one of the international conventions as some charges are under that convention, the STCW document.
The Prosecution said the STCW document, is not like other documents that are readily available on line, but will liaise with Maritime to get the document.
Some of the charges against the defendants are under the shipping Act 1998, which include sending an unsafe vessel to sea, Vessel going to sea without a valid certificate, taking an unsafe vessel to sea, disciplinary offence, failing to keep an official log book, failing to notify the principal surveyor of change in condition of a vessel and not complying with the convention international on standards of training certification and watch keeping for seafarers.
The defendants on this case are charged under the 1998 Shipping Act.
They are Michael Roy Galo (ship master) Joe Malepa and Stephen Waina’a (captains) Shipping Directors are Esther Hoasihere, John Bosco Houanihunu, Lawrence Hunumeme, Stephen Maahanua, Aaron Oritaimae, William Parairato and Aloysius Poiohia and the General Manager Cypriano Taamora.
This is the case related to the incident which occurred on April 3 2020 where 27 innocent lives were lost at sea in Malaita when MV Taimareho carrying people from West Are’are back to their home village encountered rough seas, unfortunately that trip cost 27 lives with only six bodies recovered during the search.
