BY ROMINAH FAKA
The Magistrate Court will deliver sentence on a man alleged in the million dollar scandal in the ministry of health on December 30.
On Tuesday this week, prosecution and defence made their sentencing submissions in court.
In the submissions prosecution relied entirely on its written submission however, highlighted the aggravating factors whilst the defence in its submissions highlight the mitigating factors.
Court adjourns to December 30 for sentence and bail for the defendant extends.
Prosecution charged Robert Manu with four counts of Official Corruption contrary to section 91 (a) of the Penal Code, Cap 26.
Manu pleaded not guilty to the four counts and trial was then conducted in Magistrate Court.
The prosecution called three witness to testify and 14 statement tendered by consent and 23 exhibits were also tendered by consent to court.
After prosecution complete the crown case, the defence called two witness to testify for the defence case, which the accused Manu and financial controller Dalipanda.
After the trial court finds Manu guilty for count 1,2 and 3 Official Corruption and for count 4, court acquitted Manu for it.
The total amount of count one is $5000, count two is $60,000 and count three $130,000. So, the total amount court convicted Manu for is $ 195,000.00 SBD.
Count four which Manu acquitted for is $10,000.
Court heard between 2012 and 2013, the Ministry of Health and Medical Service (MHMS) has suffered from a 10-million -dollar conducted by officers within the ministry.
Within that same scheme between November 2012 and August 2013, MHMS also made 15 payments totaling 47,301,453.40 to two shipping companies, Eroba Shipping Services (Eroba) and Joke Shipping (Joke). Both companies were managed by John Biliki and Wesley Poloso.
An internal audit by MHMS in August 2013 uncovered significant irregularities with these payments.
The audit found all 15 payments to be fraudulent and suspected collusion between MHMS officials, as well as shipping agents, to defraud the Solomon Islands Government by bypassing application for project proposals.
The accused Robert Manu, who was a Procurement Officer at MHMS, was involved in raising12 of these 15 payments.
Sabrina Habu of Office of Public Prosecution appears for Crown and Jim Seuika for the accused Robert Manu.
