|
PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center SOLOMONS LAWMAKER RETURNS GOVERNMENT CAR By Ednal Palmer HONIARA, Solomon Islands (Solomon Star, April 23, 2008) - East Honiara Member of Parliament Charles Dausabea has returned a government vehicle he had been holding on to. But former acting attorney-general Nuatali Tongarutu and former political appointee Robson Djokovic are refusing to surrender their vehicles. They are now facing the court over the vehicles issue. Mr. Djokovic was charged with taking a vehicle without authority and conversion. This was over his refusal to surrender the vehicle to Government. He is holding onto a hilux with plate number G3284. Djokovic allegedly grabbed that vehicle from former Lands minister Reverend Leslie Boseto, when it was about to be returned to the government. Ms. Tongarutu was still holding onto a government hilux allocated to her when she was acting attorney general. She claimed former Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare gave her the vehicle to compensate losses her private law firm incurred when the government engaged her. But the Government said the claim was baseless and filed a case in the High Court to reclaim the vehicle. Her case was listed for yesterday but was adjourned for next Monday. Djokovic will appear in the Magistrates Court Tuesday next week on those two charges. Meanwhile Kukum Traffic Police director Albert Samani said Mr. Dausabea had voluntarily surrendered the government vehicle he was using. The Government recently advised traffic officers to retrieve vehicles illegally held onto by former ministers and political appointees. Most of the vehicles have been retrieved except for those two held by Tongarutu and Djokovic. Solomon Star: http://www.solomonstarnews.com/ |
||
| Go back to Pacific Islands Report: Graphics or Text Only. |
 |
|
