NO application to stay the false pretence charge against three men accused of obtaining more than $300,000 from selling fake gold bars to a former Minister in 2012 has been made so far.
This is the third adjournment made due to the absence of some of the lawyers representing the accused since the court was put on notice for this application.
The matter was mentioned in court this week but was again further adjourned.
This was because two lawyers representing two of the three accused did not turn up in court.
Principal Magistrate Fatima Taeburi therefore adjourned the matter to 24 April.
George Gray of Public Solicitor’s Office, who represents one of the accused was asked to inform private lawyers Hubert Fugui and Allan Hou to appear in court on that date.
Mr Gray will be making the application to stay the false pretence charge against the three accused namely John Ross, Gordon Billy Mark and Nelson Maeta.
The trio are also facing charges of intimidation & molestation while Maeta was also charged for two counts of rape and one count of indecent assault.
The false pretence charges were in relation to an allegation between November 1 and 30, 2011 where the two accused and other men allegedly obtained more than $300,000 by selling fake gold bar to former Minister of Truth Reconciliation and Peace Hypolite Taremae.
Police alleged the men approached the former minister at his office at Antony Saru Building.
They allegedly went to see the minister with intend to obtained money through false pretence and designing a way to lure him into believing their made up stories.
The accused men and others allegedly told Taremae they were from Weathercoast in Guadalcanal and used fake names.
They allegedly told Taremae they will conduct a reconciliation ceremony in the coming days but did not have enough money to conduct the ceremony.
Police then alleged that men then showed a picture of a gold bar to
Taremae which they claimed to be in their possession.
They claimed they have some gold bars which were stolen by the Guadalcanal war-lord Harold Keke that was taken from the former Ross Mining during the height of the ethnic tension.
The men also allegedly showed Taremae a certification letter from the
Director of Mines that certify that the gold bars were gold and worth six million dollars.
Having heard from the accused and seen all the documents, Taremae was convinced.
Then on various occasions between July and November 2011, the accused men allegedly handed Taremae three gold bars of which in return they received $300,000.
The accused however later found that the men lied to him and he took the gold bars to a gold dealer who confirmed the gold bars are not real gold.
The bars were made from lead metal and painted with gold colour paint.
It was also alleged that the accused men threatened the case officer who was investigating their case that they will shoot him with a gun.
Police alleged the men claimed they still have guns and will hunt for the case officer everywhere and will kill him.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
