THE executive of MV Taimareho and captains have pleaded not guilty to charges laid against them in relation to the incident which claimed the lives of 27 passengers in April last year.
They included the ship’s master Michael Roy Galo, captains Joe Malepa and Stephen Waina’ai, WAC Shipping Community Ltd directors Esther Hoasihere, John Bosco Houanihau, Lawrence Hunumeme, Stephen Ma’ahanua, Aaron Oritaimae, William Papairato, Aloysius Poiohia and the company’s former general manager Cypriano Ta’amora.
The accused appeared before Justice Maelyn Bird yesterday who following their not guilty plea adjourned the matter to 1.30pm November 4 for the pre-trial conference.
They are facing 102 charges under the Shipping Act 1998.
All the offences are punishable by fine.
Some of the charges include, sending an unsafe vessel to sea, vessel going to sea without valid certificate, taking an unsafe vessel to sea, failing to keep an official work book, failing to notify principles avail of change in condition of a vessel, failing to comply with a requirement of the International Convention of Standards, Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers and overloading.
All these charges were related to the incident on Thursday April 2nd 2020 when MV Taimareho left Honiara with 738 passengers and encountered bad weather in the early hours of Friday April 3rd 2020.
This was despite warnings issued by Solomon Islands Maritime Authority for vessels not to travel to the provinces due to Cyclone Harold.
The 27 passengers lost their lives when giant waves swept through the boat in the early hours of April 3rd 2020. Most of those who lost their lives are students.
Many of those who travelled on the boat were returning to their villages as part of the government’s repatriation plan in response to growing fears of COVID-19.
The government’s repatriation plan which started in March 2020 saw many people in Honiara travelling back to their provinces including those travelling onboard MV Taimareho that night.
Since the incident only six bodies were recovered.
Prosecution alleged that the accused persons did not comply with the Shipping Act and the Maritime Convention which led to the death of the 27 passengers.
They also alleged that there were many things wrong with the ship at that time and that the weather conditions were also not good on that day.
Private lawyer James Apaniai is representing all accused except for Galo who is represented by Public Solicitor George Gray.
Public Prosecutor Samuel Tovosia appeared on Tuesday on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions Rachel Olutimayin.
The DPP’s office is prosecuting this matter on behalf of the Solomon Islands Maritime Authority (SIMA).
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN BONGIDANI
Newsroom, Honiara
