POLICE will be executing a warrant of arrest for a public officer facing false pretence charges, who failed to turn up in court, Wednesday.
Police prosecutor Alice Foanaota told Principal Magistrate Sheppard Lapo the excuses given by the accused Frank Sade Bilau were lame.
She told the court the accused informed the prosecution office he was sick.
Ms Foanaota added that the accused would always say he was sick whenever his matter came before the court on the previous hearings.
“This morning, I would like to apply for a warrant of arrest for the accused so that police can check on him whether he is on his sick bed or at the hospital,” she said.
The court issued the warrant of arrest for Bilau and adjourned the matter for the review of the warrant on December 10.
Bilau is facing 14 counts of false pretence.
He was at the time of the alleged offending worked as an officer in the Marketing and Promotion Division within the Ministry of Commerce, Labour and Immigration.
The allegations occurred in February this year where he under false pretence obtained more than $40,000 from two alleged victims.
He allegedly told the two men, who came to the Marketing and Promotion Division, to discuss means of obtaining market overseas to export their taro and kava products.
Police alleged that the accused told the men he can help them to find markets in other countries to export their products.
He however, during the course of that process allegedly obtained money from the two men claiming it was for the subscriber cost of the website, and cost of samples of the products he will send via express mail.
He allegedly fabricated the emails and continued asking them for money in which the two men became suspicious and reported him to the police.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
