A 25-year-old man, who admitted to stealing gold ashes worth $2.6 million last September in Honiara, has had his sentencing deferred to Monday next week.
Peter Olben had previously pleaded guilty to one count of Simple Larceny.
His matter was adjourned from the last court date to Monday for sentencing.
On Monday, the presiding magistrate informed Olben, the defence counsel and the prosecution that his file was empty.
She stated that the papers filed by the prosecution and the defence counsel for the sentencing was not in the file.
The magistrate explained that this sometimes occurs when clerks update files and forget to include all the papers.
She said the clerks would check in the registry office and apologized to Olben before adjourning the matter till Monday 25 August.
The magistrate further assured Olben that she would consider the week’s delay, which was the court’s fault, when sentencing him.
The incident occurred on 24 September 2024, when Olben stole a bag containing 8,992.10 grams of gold ashes from the complainant’s vehicle.
Olben was accompanying the complainant and his sister to the Bred Bank in Kukum to make a deposit for the export of the gold ashes.
He waited inside the vehicle, and stole the bag containing the gold ashes and escaped.
A search ensued, and the complainant filed a report with the police.
Olben met his co-accused Max Gura in Lungga, Central Guadalcanal, and received help in evading the police.
Gura allegedly transported Olben and advised him to use witchcraft to avoid detection.
They allegedly used the stolen gold ashes to purchase vehicles, land and other properties.
Gura and his wife Miriam Keni Sasau had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge of Simple Larceny and an additional Possession of Police Properties charge.
During a search of the couple’s residence on 5 December 2024, police found a small bottle containing gold ashes, with $6,317.60 cash and police uniforms.
The couple was arrested on 4 December 2024, while attempting to board MV Ocean Joy.
Their matter is currently in the pre-trial conference stage.
Police Prosecutor Iete Tebakota appears for the Crown, while defence counsels Donation Houa, Roria Sikua and Sylvia Pitamama from the Public Solicitor’s Office represent the defendants.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
