BY ROMINAH FAKA

The case of a man accused of fraudulently getting money from students promising them scholarships has adjourned further for March 6 for mention.

Donald Keso is accused of obtaining money from students with the fake promise of giving them Solomon Islands Government Scholarships (SIG) awards.

The matter was heard in court on Wednesday this week where prosecution informed court that police made an attempt to see the accused’s surety but were informed that the surety was in Malaita and will be back at the end of this week.

Police also said the accused’s father had told them that the accused was in Auki.

Court suspended the matter and ordered prosecution to update a summon and serve it to police. The Central police are to communicate with Auki police to serve the summon on the accused.

Donald Keso is charged with three counts of obtaining money by false pretence. He had pleaded not guilty to the counts

Prosecution alleged that Keso obtained money from students with a fake promise of giving them Solomon Islands Government (SIG) Scholarship awards.

It was further alleged that on different dates in March and April 2022, Keso lied to the complainants that he was working as an agent for the National Training Unit (NTU).

He also promised the complainants that if they produced their required documents and gave him sum of $1000, he would place their names on the Solomon Islands Government scholarship (SIG).

Upon hearing the promises, two of the complainants gave Keso $1000 each while one allegedly gave Keso $2,000 for himself and his sister.

Keso then told the victims that he would call them to collect their offer letter when their names were listed for the scholarships.

The complainants waited for a response from Keso but nothing happened.

One of them then went to the NTU office and enquired if a person by the name of Donald

Keso worked at SITESA and in response, a receptionist allegedly told him that a senior female staff member that Donald Keso used to work for had already resigned.

The complainants were students of the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) at that time of the offence.

Keso was later arrested by the police after the three complainants lodged their complaints on February 18, 2023.

ODPP act for State and Emy Rusi of PSO represent the accused Donald Keso.

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