Officers with the Royal Solomon Island Police National Investigations Unit (NIU) have charged a 54 year old former politician from Isabel with fraud.
It is alleged the man, a former Provincial member for the Kolotubi Ward in Isabel Province, got hold of a cheque that was made out to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Provincial Government, and changed the payment details to gain personal advantage.The 54 year old man was believed to have forged and cashed the SIG ANZ cheque on the 20 February 2008.
Following investigations of the incident, Police arrested the man on the 24th of June 2009 and charged him with one count of forgery contrary to section 336 (1) (a) and false pretence contrary to section 308 (a) of the Pena Code.
Forgery holds a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and five years imprisonment for false pretence.
The suspect was later bail on sum of SBD$1,000 and is expected to appear at the Honiara Magistrate's Court on 27 July 2009.