Dr Aipia accuses police of conspiracy, will claim more for loss of business
DR REGINALD AIPIA – the man who took the government to court and won a $56 million settlement over false accusation of illegally harvesting beche de mer – has accused police and fisheries officers of conspiracy to destroy his business.
At the same time Dr. Aipia said officers involved in the conspiracy were using state assets such as the Patrol Boat Gizo to carry out their illegal activities in the name of upholding the law.
“I have evidence to prove this, pointing to a rubber dinghy (pictured) which the officers allegedly used to chase him and his fishermen in the Malaita Outer Islands (MOI) seas earlier this year.
“They thought I was illegally harvesting beche de mer during the off season – the same charge under section 13 of the Fisheries Act they falsely accused me off. As everyone knows, the Magistrates Court threw out the charge in November 2017.
Dr. Aipia then took the matter to the High Court, claiming costs for loss of business, unlawful arrest and defamation of character. The High Court upheld Dr. Aipia’s claims, awarding him $56 million in June this year.
“But when the officers, including two public servants – one from the High Court and the other from the Inland Revenue Division (IRD) found out that my fishermen and I were only fishing, they sped off.”
Dr. Aipia has won a $56 million law suit against the government. He warned that if the illegal activities by police and public servants do not stop, he would be suing the government for more for loss of business from 2013 to June this year when the court ruled in my favour.
He said while this was going on, the two public servants had bought a large quantity of fuel which was shipped to Ontong Java for the illegal harvesting of beche de mer.
“I am aware that a Member of Parliament and the Commissioner of Police were instrumental in my arrest. They wanted to destroy my business which is run by the Ontong Java Development Company. But thank goodness I was acquitted and the court ruled in my favour,” Dr. Aipia told Solomon Star in an exclusive interview yesterday.
“As I looked back on what had transpired, I realised that they were using my arrest as a cover for their involvement in illegal harvesting of bech-de-mer on behalf of their Chinese associates,” an angry Dr. Aipia said.
He said the amount of fuel in terms of drums the officers were taking with them to Malaita Outer Islands (MOI) was beyond the means of the two public servants who combined salaries each fortnight were probably just $2,000.
“A drum of 200L of petrol costs more than $2, 000. How can people on such salaries afford a large consignment of fuel?
“How could they afford for example taking 150 drums of 200L of petrol? This is impossible. Someone is funding them,” Dr. Aipia said.
Dr. Aipia said he had since written several letters to both the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources and the Public Service Commission about these sorts of activities without a response.
“These officers should be suspended to allow for an investigation. This is the corruption we are talking about.
“In any case, I am waiting for them. Once they appeal the outcome of my initial case, I will stake my loss of business from 2013 to June 2021 against the government. I am pretty sure the amount would be more than the current award of $56 million,” he said.
By Alfred Sasako
Newsroom, Honiara
