The Oversight Committee on COVID-19 is concerned that there are people in the Honiara Emergency Zone who are covertly sending bodies of deceased persons to the villages under cover of darkness, the government said in a statement today.

In the last 24 hours, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force intervened two boats planning to leave Honiara to Malaita Province.

The boats were said to be preparing to depart Honiara around 3am this morning with the deceased accompanied by relatives.

It stated, those persons doing such activities are putting their villages and communities at risk.

The Committee reiterates that the protocols in place are there to protect our communities, it stressed.

The statement stressed, those in breach will be charged under the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) (No.3) Regulations 2021 which carries a maximum penalty of $10,000.00 or five (5) years imprisonment or both.

Source: GCU