Robert Manu, a 50-year-old former procurement officer of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), has been handed a two-year suspended sentence for corruptly receiving $195,000 in exchange for facilitating payments to a shipping company.
Manu was convicted of three counts of Official Corruption after a trial.
Magistrate Emily Zazariko Vagibule Pakoa imposed a final sentence of two years’ imprisonment for each count during her ruling on Friday.
She ordered the sentence to run concurrently meaning Manu is to serve two years imprisonment.
However, she invoked section 44 of the Penal Code and ordered the sentence to be suspended for two years.
This means Manu will serve his sentence outside of the Correctional Centre without additional conditions.
In her sentencing, Magistrate Pakoa emphasized that Manu’s position was entrusted with safeguarding the Ministry’s project and infrastructure.
“You actions have clearly shown how dishonest you are,” Magistrate Pakoa told Manu.
She pointed out that the ministry he was once employed in is responsible for overseeing one of the very important aspects of this country, that being the health and medical services.
“You did nothing to question the substantial amount deposited into your bank account.
“This is broad daylight dishonesty, especially from someone who is tasked with looking after government assets and resources.
“Your action also reflects elements of abuse of authority for your own personal benefit.”
Magistrate Pakoa further pointed out that Manu’s role as procurement officer categorizes him as a cornerstone of the procurement unit, which requires a combination of trust, integrity and professionalism.
She said there is no doubt that Manu’s actions had somehow played a role in the lack of proper medical services faced by the people in Kirakira and Arai during the material time.
“Further to this, both the government and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services have experienced a situation where huge amounts of money have disappeared into thick air, or into Eroba shipping services bank account and your bank account.
“These were monies that could have bolstered the Ministry’s operation; instead, you gladly received them with no second thought.”
Magistrate Pakoa told Manu that his actions have also brought disrepute to the Ministry as a whole.
“Surely such actions have instilled in the minds of many Solomon Islands, a lack of confidence and trust in the future project of the Ministry.”
The mitigation factors Magistrate Pakoa identified on Manu’s behalf is he is a first time offender, his cooperation in initial stage of cases and faithfulness in attending court hearings, the delay in this matter and finally his personal circumstances.
His lawyer Jim Seika of JS Ward & Associates had asked the court to consider Manu’s age, he is a family man and the psychological distress this case has caused Manu and his family.
Magistrate Pakoa had stated that in her view these are the very reasons, a person holding positions of trust and public responsibility, should have thought of, before engaging in unlawful and corrupt practices.
“It is always better to go hungry, than to receive money from unlawful and corrupt practices,” she said.
In terms of the delay, Magistrate Pakoa said there has been a delay of 8 years, starting from the year 2016.
The Crown had asked her to consider the delay in this case, in the broader context of case complexity, procedural fairness, and external disruption such as the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I am also of the view that this delay was due to lack of proper case management and timely investigations.
“There is no doubt Manu suffered psychologically throughout the past 8 years, “she added.
Magistrate Pakoa strongly pointed that on this note, is fair to say that punishment waited too long to be served is injustice.
During the sentence she also reminded the Crown, police investigators and defence counsels there should be no room for continuous sloppy work.
“This case is a fine example of how careless, disorganized and the total lack of time and effective case management shown by relevant authorities involved.”
Manu was convicted of using his position to expedite and authorize payments to Eroba Shipping totalling up to $1, 608,371 by passing the proper procurement procedures in exchange for large sums of money that were deposited into his personal bank account.
The payment he received amounted up to $195,000.
Between 2012 and 2013, MHMS was embroiled in a multi-million-dollar scandal involving several officers within the ministry.
During this period, 15 fraudulent payments were made to two shipping companies—Eroba Shipping Services and Joke Shipping—managed by John Biliki and Wesley Poloso.
An internal audit conducted in August 2013 revealed that all 15 payments were fraudulent, with evidence suggesting collusion between MHMS officials and shipping agents to defraud the Solomon Islands Government by bypassing the proper project proposal process.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
