Member for Telefomin and Defence Minister, Solan Mirisim, has pleaded guilty to only one of the twenty-two allegations leveled against him.
The inquiry into the leader’s misconduct in office went before the leadership tribunal yesterday at the Waigani National Court.
Mirisim pled guilty to the first allegation of providing incorrect dates of birth for his spouse and children on his annual statements.
Among the allegations, Mirisim pleaded not guilty to declaring annual statements to the Ombudsman Commission between the periods 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015 and also failure to declare personal incomes and payments into his personal bank accounts.
The leader also pleaded not guilty to using his position as the member for Telefomin, for personal benefit and failure to declare interest in Rain Fox Trading and Motop Business Group; companies that he was a director to, that were engaged by the Telefomin District to implement some of the district’s funded projects.
Mirisim also pleaded not guilty to failure to lodge corporate income tax for Motop Business Group.
Other allegations leveled against him include; failure to declare personal incomes and payments received by his spouse and interference in the appointment process of the Secretary for the Department of Defence.
The matter is adjourned to today Wednesday, 21st of August 2021 at 10am, where the Chief Ombudsman Commissioner, Richard Pagen, will take the oath and the statement of reasons will be presented to the bench.
The member is currently suspended from office.