THE case against two police officers accused of bribing a leading investigator in a stolen gold ashes case with $30,000 has been adjourned to February 26 for plea.
Public Prosecutor Jeremy Oiofa yon Thursday confirmed in court they will maintain the charge against one of the police officers, Gravis Afuga.
Afuga and his colleague, Allen Noni, from Henderson Police Post in Central Guadalcanal Province, are facing Bribery charges.
Afuga is facing one count, while Noni is facing two counts.
Early this week, Mr Oiofa informed the court that the crown would withdraw the charge against Afuga under section 190 (2) (b) (i) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), which would have acquitted him of the charge.
However, Mr Oiofa later changed his position, deciding to maintain the charge against Afuga after discussions with his superior.
The court also informed that the defendants’ lawyer, Donation Houa of the Public Solicitor’s Office, is currently on compassionate leave and is expected to return to work next week.
Principal Magistrate Elma Veenah Rizzu Hilly adjourned the case to February 26 for plea before Principal Magistrate Emily Zazariko Vagibule Pakoa.
The allegations against the two officers stem from an investigation last year into a stolen gold ashes case, worth 2.6 million.
The officers were part of the investigation team but allegedly bribed the lead investigator with $30,000 to cease the investigation into Max Gura’s involvement in the offence of Simple Larceny.
The bribe was intended to divert the investigation to focus only on the prime suspect, who is still at large.
The officers were arrested and charged after the alleged bribe on two occasions last November.
Gura and his wife Miriam Sasau, the defendants in the gold ashes case, had already pleaded not guilty to the charge of Simple Larceny and Possession of Police Property in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court.
They are now awaiting a pre-trial conference.
Gura’s lawyer made a bail application, which the court will deliver on Thursday this week.
The prime suspect, who stole the gold from his boss inside his boss’s vehicle, is still at large.
It is alleged that Max Gura assisted the prime suspect in escaping to a village in Guadalcanal in his vehicle before fleeing to Malaita in November 2024.
Before escaping, the prime suspect allegedly handed the remaining gold ashes to Gura, who sold them and used the proceeds to buy vehicles and a piece of land.
On December 5, 2024, police executed a search warrant at the couple’s residence and found a small bottle containing gold ashes and $6,317.60 in cash, and police uniforms.
The defendants were arrested on December 4, 2024, while trying to board M.V. Ocean Joy.
Lawyers from the Public Solicitor’s Office represent the two officers.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
