A MAN has pleaded not guilty to multiple false pretence and uttering false document charges involving about 1 million when he appeared in the Honiara Magistrate Court.
Chrisbane Habala, 47, recently pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of false pretence and 18 counts of uttering a false document.
Magistrate Emily Zazariko Vagibule Pakoa then adjourned the matter to March 28 for a Pre-Trial Conference.
Habala, a former Sales Manager at Raretech Enterprises, allegedly provided false invoices from competitors to the Ministry of Mines Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE) in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
This enabled Raretech Enterprises to submit the lowest quotations for goods and services, ultimately securing contracts worth $1,094,910 for over two years.
Raretech Enterprises is a Honiara-based business that supplies ICT equipment and services.
An investigation by Taskforce Janus, a specialist unit comprising officers from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury’s internal audit office, led to Habala’s arrest.
However, Habala denied the allegations laid against him.
Public Solicitor George Gray represents Habala, whilst Public Prosecutor Jeremy Oiofa appears for the Crown on behalf of his colleague John Wesley Zoze.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
