INVESTIGATIONS into the traffic accident involving the Member of Parliament for North-West Guadalcanal, Bodo Dettke is still continuing.
Mr Dettke ran his vehicle into the fence separating the east and west bound lanes opposite the Honiara Main Market on the early morning hours of August 8th, 2020.
According to a statement from Police Media following inquiries from members of the public; it was revealed that investigations are continuing and is expected to be dealt with on Friday 18th September, 2020.
When asked during last week’s weekly Police Media conference on the progress of the investigation and whether or not charges have already been laid since the case has dragged on unusually long, Commissioner Mostyn Mangau told reporters that police is expected to invite him on Thursday to ascertain the status of the case.
“With regards to Bodo’s traffic case, Police will today invite him to come to deal with him. Police is yet to get his side of the story in the past weeks because he was tied up with his parliamentary responsibilities (meeting),” he said.
However, when asked again yesterday if charges had already been laid, the Police media said Police investigation on the case is still on ongoing.
A concern citizen has earlier said that the excuse by Police becomes normal with those with power.
He added that it would be a different story if an ordinary citizen is involved in such accidents.
“Police are so quick to arrest and lay charges on ordinary citizens but when government officials are involved, it takes time and tonnes of excuses and even to the extent of file misplacement which often see the offenders walking out free from the grips of the law,” he said.
Earlier on, Deputy Police Commissioner Ian Vaevaso told reporters that the accident that involved Mr Dettke took place at the main road near Honiara Central Market around am in the morning of 8 August 2020.
“When traffic officers arrived at the scene, police from Central Police Station was at the scene of accident already,” he said.
He said information obtained from witnesses at the scene indicated that a Toyota Land cruiser registration number MB0608 has gone off the road on the west bound lane and broke the median strip fence facing the Central Market Plaza, facing western direction on the eastern bound lane.
He added the officers upon locating Mr. Detke as the driver of vehicle at scene took him to central police Station.
“He was under taken Random Breathalyser test (RBT) but the test was negative and he was served with notice of intended prosecution at that time,” he said.
When asked if the MP owned the vehicle or the government, he said the MP owned it.
“Yes truck is owned by Bodo Detke and he was the driver of the vehicle at that time,” he said.
By IAN M.KAUKUI
Newsroom, Honiara
