Police DENIES receiving referrals from MID on alleged abuse of shipping grants by politicians

The Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) has denied receiving files from Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development (MID) to investigate the alleged abuse of shipping grants by certain politicians.

Permanent Secretary of Infrastructure Development, Stephen Maesiola told journalist last week that said since he became the PS in 2018 he had submitted a file for police to investigate regarding politicians who had been given shipping grants but had not acquired any boats.

“I called on police to investigate the grants that they (MPs) received but did not buy any vessels with,” he said.

Maesiola stated that the files were still with the police and at one stage he had called on them to return it otherwise they it might lost it.

He added since then they had not returned the file.

But in a response today, Deputy Commissioner (DC) National Security and Operation Support (NSOS) Mr Ian Vaevaso said there is no referrals as mention by the PS of MID.

Vaevaso said police only received complaints from individual constituents but not as claimed by MID.

Mr. Vaevaso said these cases (individual complaints) are still with National Criminal Investigation Department and are still been investigated as they are very complex cases.

He said those cases were delayed due to unfortunate circumstances such as multiple major police operations, COVID-19 pandemic and the unrest incidences that police have involved in. One case in relation to the shipping grant had already reached the Court.

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