THE court will today hear submission for the ‘no case to answer’ on the matter of one of the One Link Pacifica’s managers Gerrad Tauohu.
Tauohu’s lawyer had indicated in court at the close of the prosecution case last week that they will be making submissions for a “no case to answer”.
Prosecution had called a total of 15 witnesses for their case at the trial including the owner of the scheme, Charles Dora.
Tauohu is being tried five counts of simple larceny.
This was in relation to allegations he stole more than $400,000 of the scheme’s customers between December 2019 and February 2020.
He was charged after five of the scheme’s mentors filed their complaints to the police.
One Link customers were allegedly advised through the mentors to invest in the scheme.
They were allegedly promised that if they invest in the scheme they will be paid triple the amount they pay in a month’s time.
Tauohu, however, after allegedly collecting the money failed to repay One Link’s customers their money with its interest.
He then allegedly escaped to Malaita in March but was arrested a month later following the complaints from the five mentors.
Police recovered $336,891.20 Tauohu when he was arrested.
The recovered money that was kept the Police’s exhibit facility at the Rove Police Headquarters went missing last October.
A Police officer looking after that exhibit facility is now on suspension awaiting the outcome of the Police’s Professional Standards Internal Investigation (PSII).
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN BONGIDANI
Newsroom, Honiara
