A second Inland Revenue Division (IRD) officer has appeared in the Honiara Magistrates’ Court facing two counts of official corruption charges.
Leslie Melaba of Temotu Province who was the fourth person to be arrested by the Janus Task Force was released on a cash bail of $2,500 attached with strict bail conditions.
Some of the strict bail conditions are, he is to surrender his passport to the police, he is to surrender his office computer along with the office email to the police, he is not to contact any person employed by the Ministry of Finance & Treasury, he is not to travel out of Guadalcanal Island, and not to offend whilst on bail.
Public Prosecutor Florence Joel yesterday asked the matter to be adjourned for 28 days given that the Janus Task Force are yet to complete their investigation.
Melaba is also yet to find himself a lawyer.
He was charged in relation to the allegations on 2 March 2016 and 18 March 2016 in Honiara on which he allegedly solicited discounts, payments and bribes in offering to unlawfully remit the Farmset Ltd tax liabilities.
Prosecution alleged on an unknown date this month, an Officer from the IRD began an audit of Farmset’s tax liabilities.
The Auditor advised the branch manager of Farmset Ltd to contact him or the accused if he has any queries in respect to the audit or its processes.
It was alleged that at this stage, the accused had taken a principal role in auditing process and had begun communicating directly with the Farmset Ltd branch manager.
Prosecution further alleged that the accused began contacting the branch manager making requests for money and goods.
“In particular, the accused began the solicitation of monies in lieu of tax remissions,” it was alleged.
On one occasion, it was alleged Melaba sought payment of $10,000 cash and persisted with telephone calls and emails making demands for money and goods.
In one of his emails, Melaba inquired about work boots stating his boss wants to buy 11 pairs of work boots and stated if the work boots are discounted he would only charge half of the Paye Tax he had assessed.
In the second email sent, he solicited a payment of $3,500 in lieu of the remittance of all tax penalties.
It was alleged that despite all these emails and telephone calls making demands for money and goods, the Farmset Ltd did not accede to his demands.
Melaba is due to appear in court again on April 26.
Ellison Raoga who used to work as a Compliance Officer for the IRD was the first IRD officer and second person to be arrested by the Janus Task Force.
He faces one count of official corruption and six counts of fraudulent falsification of accounts for allegedly receiving payments for remitting a company’s tax worth more than $100,000.
The first arrest was that of Steven Jude Oto, the financial controller of the Ministry of Police and Correctional Services for allegedly obtaining more than $800,000 through dishonest tender processes.
The suspended permanent secretary of the Ministry of Police, National Security and Correctional Services Edmond Sikua was the third person to be arrested.
He faces seven counts of official corruption on 22 December 2016 for allegedly awarding government tenders worth $630,436.50 to Beeds Investment, a company registered and owned by his two daughters.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
