TEMOTU Premier, Clay Forau, who faces conversion charges, has had his bail conditions varied to allow him to travel out of the country this weekend.
This was after his lawyer Jim Seuika of L & L lawyers made an application to vary one of his bail conditions.
The prosecution on the other hand did no object the application and the court granted approval.
Deputy Chief Magistrate, Ricky Iomea, then made orders to suspend the reporting condition, which the defendant was ordered to report once a week at the Central Police Station.
“The reporting condition is to be reinstated upon his return on July 15,” DCM Iomea said.
Forau will be leaving for Indonesia on June 25 and is expected to return on July 15.
His matter will be mentioned again in the Honiara Magistrate Court on June 29 before Principal Magistrate, Fatima Taeburi.
Mr Seuika will be appearing for the pre-trial conference and confirmation of trial dates on Forau’s behalf.
Magistrate Taeburi is currently on a court circuit in the Central Islands Province.
Forau is facing 14 counts of conversion for allegedly misusing $350,890 belonging to his constituents between 2012 and 2014 when he was the MP for Temotu VATUD Constituency.
The money was supposed to be paid to recipients of the 2012 Cocoa Industry Support Scheme and Rehabilitation of Coconut Industry Programme for the constituency.
He, however, on 14 occasions between 19 October 2012 and 31 October 2014 allegedly fraudulently converted the total of 350,890 for his own benefit.
State Prosecutor, Vernon Taupongi, is prosecuting.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
