THE case of three individuals accused of scamming over $4,000 from people seeking seasonal employment in Australia will return to court on February 18 for possible plea.
Joe Rex Raukaniu, 38, Shirly Fa’aitoa and Elsie Nagive are jointly charged with two counts of false pretence.
However, Public Prosecutor Jeremy Oiofa has requested that Raukaniu’s case be separated from the other two.
The prosecutor explained that Raukaniu is separately charged with one count of Simple Larceny and also faces two counts of false pretence along with Fa’aitoa and Nagive.
The prosecution was given 14 days to finalise the charges.
Meanwhile, Fa’aitoa and Nagive are still seeking legal representation, which will be confirmed on the next court date.
Magistrate Emily Zazariko Vagibule Pakoa has reserved the pleas of the three accused until the charges are sorted out.
Raukaniu who claimed to be a recruiting agent and his two co-workers allegedly committed the offences in 2023.
According to the prosecution, the defendants worked together to deceive people, collecting over $4,000 from individuals who wanted their names included on the list of workers bound for seasonal employment in Australia.
However, the complainants reported the defendants to the police after receiving no response from the defendants of application to work in Australia.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
