Basil pleads not guilty

The National Main Stories

By ZEDAIAH KANAU
BULOLO MP Sam Basil has pleaded not guilty to five allegations of misconduct in office brought against him in a Leadership Tribunal and asked for an adjournment to prepare his defence.
The five allegations are that:

  • BETWEEN March 1, 2013, and Sept 24, 2018, Basil as the Bulolo DDA chairman failed to implement the decision of the central supply and tenders board, allegedly awarding a contract to Jaybis construction and management to build the Wau commercial and district headquarters;
  • ON Dec 15, 2014, without lawful authority, Basil allegedly received K50,000 drawn from the Bulolo district treasury operating account and made payable to one Tae Guambelek. The money was for the construction of the Wau commercial and district headquarters;
  • ON Dec 18, 2014, without lawful authority, Basil allegedly indirectly asked for and accepted K50,000, drawn from the Bulolo district treasury operating account and made payable to one Christopher Sumae. The money was for the construction of the Wau commercial and district headquarters;
  • ON Dec 21, 2014, Basil indirectly asked for and accepted K50,000, drawn from Bulolo district treasury operating account and made payable to Sumae. The money was for the construction of the Wau commercial and district headquarters; and,
  • ON Nov 9, 2015, Basil knowingly and recklessly or negligently provided information in the annual returns for the period of Aug 6, 2014, to Aug 5, 2015, that were false, misleading or incomplete by not declaring a receipt of K150,000 from the Bulolo district treasury operating account.

Tribunal chairman Justice Allen Kingsley David read the allegations against Basil which related to the use of K150,000 from the Bulolo district treasury operating account.
Public Prosecutor Pondros Kaluwin told the tribunal that he had only filed and served the affidavit of Chief Ombudsman Richard Pagen of the Ombudsman Commission because the other affidavits were yet to be sealed by the clerk.
Kaluwin told the tribunal that the State would call 16 witnesses, but some may not be called because their documents were already in the statement of reasons.
Basil’s lawyer Greg Sheppard said that they would need time to go over the materials in the affidavit and asked for a short adjournment.
Sheppard said they would only call one witness – Basil.
Other tribunal members are senior magistrates Mark Selef Kariu and Josephine Kilage.
The tribunal is adjourned to tomorrow for a trial hearing.