- “Gov’t must change payroll system”
- Pro to respond to proposal on $300k theft case
- Bangladeshi rape accused back in court, June 22
“Gov’t must change payroll system”
THE Government needs to change its aurion system in the Ministry of Finance and Treasure (MOFT) to avoid losing more money as the system cannot detect over payments says Principal Magistrate Tearo Beneteti.
She made this call when acquitting a teacher who used $1.3million after she erroneously received more than $3million in 2017 into her account.
“In my respectful view, the Government needs to change the system as the risk is too great to use it if it has not been rectified to pick up errors as found in this case and still used to this very date,” Magistrate Tearo said.
She added that the Government is risking itself to losing more money as the system cannot detect over payments.
She said in the evidence provided by prosecution in this particular matter, they alerted her to the problematic system that the Government has.
“They explain how the aurion system does not and cannot pick up the error when an over payment is being done to officers.
“This case relating to this Defendant is clearly one that was not picked up in any way as well.
“It was only after colleagues of the Defendant raised complaints and issues on how the Defendant had so much money that the matter returned back to the Payroll Section to check on it,” she said.
Magistrate Tearo further added that this was about 6 – 7 months after the error payment was made.
“As I assess this matter I am far more convinced that the real problem lies on this system and the officers inputting information for salary of officers like the Defendant in this case rather than being a problem of recipients of error payments.”
Pro to respond to proposal on $300k theft case
THE two men accused of stealing more than $300,000 from a vehicle at China Town in April are waiting for prosecution to respond to the proposals their lawyer made before they enter their pleas to the allegation.
It was heard in court on Tuesday that lawyers representing Clement Marodo and Primo Junior Wara had made the proposal to the prosecution.
The two accused are both facing one count each of simple larceny.
The prosecution is however yet to respond to the proposals and therefore sought an adjournment.
Public Solicitor’s lawyer Rodney Manebosa said the two accused will wait for the prosecution’s response to the proposals before they enter their pleas.
He is appearing on instructions of his colleagues Emy Rusi and Susie Pengalo who represents the two accused.
Having heard from both counsels, Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison adjourned the matter to June 22.
Marodo and Wara were accused of stealing $321, 616, from a vehicle that was parked in front of Jack Wong’s shop at China Town, Honiara on 18 April this year.
The place of incident was close to the Mataniko baby clinic.
It was alleged that the complainant parked his vehicle there and as he was about to lock his vehicle, one of the accused was on the other side of the vehicle, holding onto the handle of the left front door.
As a result, it was alleged that the door was not locked when the complainant locked up his vehicle and walked towards another shop.
The two accused and another suspect then allegedly gained access into the vehicle and took the bag containing hard cash collected by the complainant from five other shops and escaped with it.
The complainant collected his bill from the other shop and returned to his vehicle only to discover the bag of money was gone.
Bangladeshi rape accused back in court, June 22
THE Bangladesh national accused of having unlawful sex with an 11 year-old girl in April at Lungga, East of Honiara will return to court on June 22.
Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison said this is for possible plea.
On the last court date, the matter of the 41 year-old man facing one count of sexual intercourse with a child under 15 was listed in the Honiara Magistrate’s Court for plea.
However, prosecution had informed the court that police had laid three more charges of indecent act, criminal trespass and intimation in relation to a different complainant.
The accused’s lawyer said he wants prosecution to confirm how many charges and what charges prosecution will be proceeding with.
Private lawyer Hubert Fugui also added that they will be making a proposal to the prosecution based on insufficiency of evidence.
Prosecution was therefore directed to return to court this week and confirm their position regarding the charge against the accused.
In court on Tuesday, the accused turn up in court without his lawyer.
He informed the court that his lawyer was sick.
This was also confirmed by the prosecution.
A seven day adjournment was therefore sought which was granted by Principal Magistrate Felix Hollison.
The Bangladesh national who cannot be named to protect the identity of the young victim because they lived at the same area at the time of the alleged offending allegedly had unlawful sex with the 11 year-old girl in April this year.
The alleged victim’s mother reported the matter to the police after she heard stories from other girls claiming her daughter was raped by a Bangladesh national in his bedroom.
It was alleged that the mother heard stories from other girls claiming her daughter’s private part was very painful.
The alleged victim then confirmed to the mother that the accused had been doing sexual action with her but she was afraid to tell anyone about it.