One Link’s $300k missing from police exhibit facility
A police officer is now suspended after more than $300,000 relating to One Link Pacifica investigation that was stored at the police exhibit facility at Rove Police headquarters went missing last October.
Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau revealed this information at a conference on Thursday at the Rove Police headquarters.
“The Police’s Professional Standards Internal Investigation (PSII) is continuing with the investigation into more than $300,000 exhibit money that had gone missing from the police exhibit facility at Rove Police Headquarters,” Mangau said.
Mangau told reporters that the officer looking after the RSIPF Exhibit Room is now suspended on half-pay awaiting the outcome of the PSII investigation.
Mangau added that he had directed the PSII to give this matter priority amongst its other priorities.
“The outcome of this investigation will then determine whether or not criminal charges will be laid based on the evidence collected.
“The investigation is focusing very much on how the exhibit money went missing and is also looking at the possibility of recovering the money,” he further added.
The police commissioner strongly condemned the action of any of his officers which leads to the erosion of the trust and confidence that the public has in the police to maintain law and order in this country.
He assured the public that the majority of his officers within the force are professional and ethical.
Mangau said he had also issued instructions for the review of the protocols surrounding storage of exhibits held by police with a view to ensuring this sad incident is not repeated in the future.
The exhibit money was recovered by police after they arrested the director of One Link Pacifica last April.
Police recovered $121,791.20 in the possession of the director during his arrested while other recoveries were made later totaling up to more than $300,000.
The One Link Director was arrested at his home village in South Malaita last April.
He escaped to his village after he failed to repay One Link Pacifica customers who invested in the scheme.
It was alleged that One Link Customers invested more than $56million but police had so far only recovered $336,891.20.
The money was kept as an exhibit at the Central Honiara Police Station Exhibit Storage and then later transferred to the Police Headquarters Exhibit Facility at Rove as the matter was transferred to the Police Headquarters.
By ASSUMPTA BONGIDANI
Newsroom, Honiara
