THE case of former Cecilia Tome, who was found guilty of larceny involving $1.3 million of government money, has been adjourned to Monday this week for continuation of sentencing submissions.
On Thursday, the prosecution tendered their sentencing submissions and stated that they relied on the written submissions provided.
The defense will make their submissions on Monday, December 15.
Tome remains in custody as she awaits her sentence.
The court had earlier found her guilty of simple larceny after $1.3 million of Government money went missing from her bank account between 2017 and 2018.
Principal Magistrate Emily Zazariko Vagibule Pakoa delivered the verdict following a re-trial in which the prosecution called three witnesses and presented additional evidence.
Tome chose to remain silent in her defense.
The case was remitted to the Honiara Magistrate Court early last year following a successful appeal by the prosecution against Tome’s 2021 acquittal.
In the initial trial, Principal Magistrate Tearo Beneteti acquitted Tome after a “no-case-to-answer” submission from her lawyer.
That trial, conducted solely through tendered documents without calling witnesses, was for a charge of embezzlement, which has since been substituted with simple larceny.
The case revolves around two erroneous payments totaling more than $3 million, mistakenly deposited into Tome’s ANZ bank account by a payroll staff member in the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT).
Tome failed to report the overpayments to either the Ministry of Education and Human Resources or the Ministry of Finance Payroll section.
Between December 2017 and July 2018, Tome withdrew $1.3 million and transferred the money from her ANZ account to her secondary ANZ account and others.
The error was eventually discovered in July 2018 by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury Payroll Section.
While over $2.4 million was returned to the Solomon Islands Government, the remaining $1.3 million was unaccounted for.
Police later charged Tome for using this amount for her personal benefit.
Tome was arrested by Janus, a joint taskforce between the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MOFT).
Ben Alasia of the Public Solicitors’ Office represents Tome, while Public Prosecutor Sabrina Habu appears for the Crown.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
