BECHE-DE-MER STILL TOP OF INVESTIGATION LIST: JUANITA

An example of the beche-de-mer. Photo credit: Solomon Times.

Acting Police Commissioner Juanita Matanga says the police investigation into the beche-de-mer issue is still a priority.

The beche-de-mer consignment weighed one-thousand five-hundred and ninety-eight kilograms and was valued at just under 10-million Solomon dollars.

The beche-de-mer consignment was stolen from the Ministry’s compound in October last year by some men believed to be associated with certain prominent figures.

The Acting Police Commissioner told a media conference yesterday, an investigation team is working with the Ministry of Fisheries on the issue.

She says police at the moment, are doing operational activities following last weekend’s riots and looting.

“Investigations are carried out in conjunction with the Ministry of Fisheries. At the moment we are focusing only on operational matters, not dealing with any other police business at this point in time.”

In Parliament this week, Fisheries Minister Alfred Ghiro says efforts to prosecute the people who stole the beche-de-mer consignment is on-going.

His colleague, the Minister for Police Chris Laore, however says he could not give an update on the investigations because he does not know.