Kiribati High Court Judge. Robin Millhouse, has ordered government's Kiribati Shipping Company, or KSC, to pay 390,000 US dollars to local businessman and former parliamentarian Waysay Kum Kee for the purchase of his cargo ship MV Mataraoi.
This is the second and last payment by KSC, after paying an initial amount of 100,000 dollars when the deal was done.
However the purchase was cut short when some members of KSC board refused to sign any more payments to Mr Kee.
The court was told that a former Minister for Transport, Patrick Tatireta, named during the hearing as a close friend to Kee, stepped in and spearheaded the deal after sacking board members who refused to sign the checks.
The issue was a debated in parliament and President Anote Tong has advised that the minister has lodged his letter of resignation.
Despite arguments from lawyers from both parties, Judge Millhouse said the original deal stood and ordered KSC to pay the overdue amount.
