One Link Pacifica boss to face court
THE matter involving the money withheld in a suspense bank account belonging to One Link Pacifica’s boss, Charles Dora, will be mentioned in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court, Tuesday.
The prosecution is attempting to make an application before the High Court for the forfeiture of the money in the frozen account.
This issue was brought before the court after Dora tried to withdraw less than $100,000 from that account at the Pan Oceanic Bank (POB) but was unable to withdraw it due to a freezing order.
Dora, who was sentenced last year for operating the scheme One Link Pacifica, is now released from prison after serving his term.
It was heard that after his release, he obtained a letter from the Police advising the bank to release the money to him because their investigation had discovered the money in the frozen account was not linked to One Link Pacifica.
It was heard Dora tried to withdraw the money but was faced with a legal issue.
The lawyer of the bank had advised his bank account to be cancelled and the money was transferred to a suspense account awaiting further orders before it can be released.
It was because of this issue that this matter regarding the frozen account came before the court.
Police had, in 202, obtained an order to freeze Dora’s account at the POB during their investigation into Dora’s operation of One Link Pacifica.
Dora had operated the money investment scheme without a bank’s license from July 2019 to March 2020.
Over the period of nine months from 4 July 2019 to 30 March 3030, Dora obtained $56, 440,475 deceitfully from One Link Pacifica customers.
Only $121, 791.20 was recovered.
OLP had stopped its operations in March 2020, and the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) had referred the matter to the Police on the 27th of March 2020.
Police arrested Dora in June 2021 and charged him with one count of Operating an Unlicensed Banking Business.
He pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced last October.
Prosecution to grill accused
Prosecution will be grilling the man who allegedly stole a laptop and mobile phones from a shop in Honiara when the trial resumes on May 8.
Martin Pola is facing trial for three counts of simple larceny.
Prosecution had already closed their case after calling their witnesses.
The court is now hearing the defence case.
Pola had already given his story in court and will be cross examined by the prosecution when the trial resumes on May 8.
Police charged Pola for allegedly stealing four mobile phones and a laptop from Smart Technology shop in China Town.
It was alleged he went to the shop and introduced himself to the shop’s Managing Director as the president of the Christian Education Schools of Solomon Islands (ACESSI), he made an agreement with him.
It was for Nehemiah to collect items from the shop and those items would be paid for by the ACESSI when the school grants are available.
Nehemiah then allegedly, on three occasions between 28 February 2019 and 28 March 2019, went to the shop and collected a total of four mobile phones and a notebook laptop.
The mobile phones each cost $2,250 and the laptop costs $2,850.
Few months later, the complainant made several attempts to contact Nehemiah through mobile phone but Nehemiah would reply with negative feedback.
The complainant even gave Nehemiah a grace period of 12 months in 2020 for him to make the payments for the items, but that was not done.
Nehemiah was arrested after the complainant lodged a complaint to the police.
