MINISTER for Culture and Tourism (MCT) plans to file a law suit against the Island Sun newspaper over what he described as defamatory and false allegation made against him in the paper.
Bartholomew Parapolo who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gela Constituency was accused of purchasing a property, worth more than $700,000 at Kombevatu, East Honiara which has raised questions over who is footing the cost of the property.
Island Sun reported, the property consists of a fully furnished three-bedroom house with a living room and verandah that accumulated more than half a million dollars.
The paper said, the purchase of the property requires an in-depth probing and that the MP needs to clarify to his constituents and the nation at large about the resident.
But in an interview with the Solomon Star yesterday Mr Parapolo rubbished all the information that appeared in the report describing it as ‘untrue.’
Mr Parapolo claimed, he purchased the property from a loan he got from the Pan Oceanic Bank (POB). It’s a personal loan and nothing to with his constituency funds, he explained.
He added the figure and information in the media saying the house was fully furnished was all liars.
“All information released in the media was false and the figure printed was also incorrect and I’m seeking the newspaper to tell me where they got this information from.
“But to tell you the truth, I got the money from a loan POB bank which is an amount of $620,000 and not $700,000 as being stated in the Island Sun newspaper,” Mr Parapolo said.
Mr Parapolo who was disappointed with the report said, he is opening a court case against the newspaper for the defamatory and false allegation against him.
“The report implies that I’m stealing the money from the constituency funds to purchase the resident which something I did not do.
“I would like to tell my constituents that I’m taking the newspaper to court for accusing me to steal money from the constituency to purchase this resident,” Mr Parapolo said.
Island Sun Chief Editor Presley Habru yesterday declined to comment the matter until formal documents from Mr Parapolo reaches his office.
“Yes, it’s true we printed the story in our paper on Wednesday, but I won’t comment about his plans to take us to court.
“At the moment I have yet to receive any letter from his lawyer about the matter. But I’ll comment once I receive a letter from his lawyer,” Mr Habru said.
By DENVER NEWTER
