BY ROMINAH FAKA
Trial into the Ministry of Health scandal continues today [Monday, March 24] at the Magistrate court.
Prosecution will call its second witness.
Trial began on March 13 where prosecution called one witness.
However, defence sought an adjournment for one of its counsels to travel to Australia for medical purposes.
Former finance controller Stephen Dalipanda, former Senior Accountant Randy Hatigeva, former Health Procurement Officer Robert Manu and former Accounts Officer Dalcy Maena were charged jointly with two counts of false pretence.
A private local contractor Tigi Sekele, who was also charged in connection to this scandal, is waiting for his trial.
Sikele faces three counts of false pretence.
Prosecution alleged he fabricated invoices and submitted them to the MHMS to claim services done.
It was alleged he received three payments worth over $1 million to his company for the freighting of materials, which were never done.
Prosecution alleged those payments were done because the defendant fraudulently submitted a fabricated invoice to the MHMS on each occasion between April 2013 and June 2013.
These former health workers allegedly caused a total sum of $1,594,935.10 to be paid to a ghost shipping service called the Joke Shipping Services.
The two shipping agents John Biliki and Wesley Poloso of Eroba Shipping Service and Joke Shipping Service defrauded the Solomon Islands Government of approximately $7.3 million.
Taxi driver, Poloso, was already convicted and jailed for two and a half years in 2014 for receiving $1.5 million of the fund.
The matter of the owner of the other alleged fake shipping agent, Biliki was discontinued in 2019 in the High Court after he died from an illness.
These millions of dollars were from the Solomon Islands Government and aid donors to support and improve rural health services.
Prosecution alleged that the defrauding of these monies severely affected implementation of health projects in the rural areas.
John Wesley Zoze is prosecuting. Jim Seuika acts for Manu, Happliyn for Dalipanda, Mr Taupongi for Hatigeva and Ms Pama represents Maena.
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