The pre-trial conference on the case of the Provincial Government minister David Tome who is facing conversion charges will be made in court on June 16.
This date was fixed last Friday where he appeared in court and entered not guilty pleas to the 14 counts of conversion against him.
The court after hearing the pre-trial conference will then fix a date for the trial to hear evidences on the case.
Tome was accused of converting $67, 170 that was supposed to be for a tree farming project in his constituency.
He was charged following an allegation in 2011 after one of his constituents reported the matter to the police.
It was alleged on 27 June 2011 Shem Tome on behalf of the community association owned and registered as Grass Root Economic Development Community (GREDC) which involved in tree farming or reforestation in Baegu/Asifola Constituency, submitted their application for the amount of $80,000 to their MP, Tome, through the Forestry office at Auki.
This is purposely to buy tools and materials to assist them in their tree farming.
The proposal without the endorsement of the Member of Parliament for Baegu/Asifola Constituency David Tome was then later refereed to the Ministry of Forestry and Research in particular the office of the Reforestation in Honiara.
The proposal was later endorsed by the Director of Reforestation on 30 June 2011.
It was alleged the proposal was then forwarded to the office of the Permanent Secretary (PS) for further approval and the PS later endorsed and approved it for payment under the reforestation scheme on 19 July 2011.
Prosecution further alleged that the proposal was later forwarded to the Accountant section of the Ministry of Forestry and Research and requisition was prepared on 1 August 2011.
Upon approval by the Finance Controller the payment was forwarded to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) for payment.
It was alleged that the Ministry of Finance approved and paid the amount of $80,000 on 24 August 2011 from the Government account for this project.
Police investigators however, alleged Tome collected the cheque on an unknown date from the Ministry of Finance and later deposited into his constituency account on 9 September 2011 at the ANZ bank in Honiara.
He then allegedly withdrew various amounts of money on various dates on September 2011 totalling up to $67, 170.
The money, according to the proposal, should be paid to Honiara Hardware for tools and materials in full and not for withdrawal in single cheques as the accused allegedly did.
The constituents have no idea whether or not the payment was made until a forestry officer made it known to one of them who in turn reported the matter to the police.
Michael Pitakaka Law Chambers is representing Tome.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
