Former SPM to face court over missing funds in 2014
A FORMER Secretary to Prime Minister (SPM) is under spotlight over missing payment funds worth $400,000 earmarked for several tribes in the Western Province in 2014.
Reports reaching the paper claimed a full investigation is underway involving the alleged fraud case.
The former SPM currently holds a senior position within the Western Provincial Government. As investigation gets underway the official is expected to be summoned in court to answer questions over the missing payment once the case has been finalized, it was revealed.
The latest high profile case involved a government cheque payment which allegedly gone missing in early 2014, the report said.
A summon notice was sent to the former SPM last week. The missing money which was meant to pay the Gumi, Gemu, Veo and Miabule sub–tribes of Munda, in relation to the Munda runway upgrading project which the Lilo led government duly approved and payment was processed, it was alleged.
The amount was negotiated during two separate consultations made with the office of the Prime Minister back in 2014, one in Munda along with a follow-up meeting held in Honiara.
The four sub- tribes have negotiated their case in relation to the refurbishing exercise of the runway.
Also they thought it was just as proper and right they too need to get some goodwill gestures besides the four groups who were signatories to a Deed of Gift to the Munda runway and during that same period received goodwill payments from the Government.
The case resurfaced in September this year during a separate Court hearing when the members of the aggrieved party had threatened to shut by the aggrieved party of Gumi, Gemu, Veo and Miabule issued notice to shut down Ziata Water Source early this year, the report said.
“But it did not eventuate due to police presence as well as members of another who have helped to block the aggrieved party at that time.
“In a submission from one of the parties to the water source that Court was told that matter was not about the Ziata water case at all, but that the aggrieved party had for nearly seven years were unhappy about a four hundred thousand dollars supposed to be paid to them in relation to the Munda upgrading runway back in 2014 which they did not receive.
“The Gumi, Gemu, Veo and Miabule sub tribes did not receive the money despite numerous attempts and inquiries made during the last seven years,” the report said.
The Court also heard that those in Court were the same parties to the Ziata water source with no issue between them but that the aggrieved party was unhappy about the money which they did not receive thats why they resort to shut down Ziata water source, it was revealed.
The Court was told, it was not a Ziata water payment at all but it was a payment related to the Munda runway upgrading which the aggrieved party had requested Government for payment which was approved.
After the court had heard submissions from the relevant parties the Judge then made a decision by asking the aggrieved party to make fresh charges to ask the Court to ask the Office of the Prime Minister and the former SPM as to what had happened to the money and why had it been drawn but not received by the recipient sub tribes.
The aggrieved party was then asked by the Court to make fresh charges and be laid against those who were involvement in the payment.
Charges are now being worked on, it was revealed.
