The case of the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Guadalcanal David Dei Pacha was again been moved to today for the start of the defence case.
Today’s hearing date was fixed last week by Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika.
The defence case has been listed to start on previous dates but had since then been adjourned to today because the prosecutor was engaged in another trial in the High Court.
Pacha is standing trial for the second time around for the charges of conversion and abuse of office.
This was in relation to allegations that he misused more than $148,000 of public funds meant for his micro project in his constituency in 2006.
Pacha’s case has been remitted to the Honiara Magistrate’s Court for either a new trial or continuation of trial after the Crown appealed the magistrate’s decision to clear him of the charges.
The South Guadalcanal MP was freed from the charges in 2012, following a no case to answer submitted by his lawyer at the close of the Crown’s case.
Since the expatriate presiding magistrate who heard the first trial already left the country, a new trial was conducted before Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika.
Gabriel Suri of Suri’s Legal Practice is representing Pacha while Crown Prosecutor Augustine Aulanga
is representing the State.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
