The Magistrates Court this morning sentenced a man from Choiseul Province to two and a half years imprisonment for defrauding the Government of one-point-five million dollars.
The money was part of 10-million dollars which went missing from the Ministry of Health\’s treasury department in 2012.
The man, in his 40s, was charged with money laundering and false pretence.
He committed the crimes between January 2012 and September 2013.
In January 2012, he acquired a tender award from the ministry of health & medical service, and then registered a business through which he intended to defraud the Solomon Islands Government.
Between May and September 2013, he claimed payment from the Government\’s Treasury Division, by falsely stating that he transported building materials for Luaniua Health Clinic from Honiara to Luaniua in the Malaita Outer islands.
Principal Magistrate Jim Seuika sentenced him to two and a half years each for both crimes, which he will serve concurrently.
