14 Aug 2009

Vanuatu MP bribery case passes without judicial sanction

2:19 pm on 14 August 2009

The Vanuatu prosecution office has confirmed that so far no one has filed a complaint against the elected members of parliament for Efate who were accused of bribery and subsequently lost their seats.

This should have followed the electoral petition filed by Barak Sope after last year's general election.

The Supreme Court found Bakoa Kaltonga, Joshua Kalsakau and Alfred Carlot guilty of bribery and declared their seat vacant.

The court also ordered the prosecution office to prosecute them for breaching the People's Representation Act.

But the public prosecutor, Kaylyne Tavoa, says while she has received an order in the civil case, it doesn't mean that anyone will be prosecuted.

She says her office can only go ahead if there is a police complaint accompanied by evidence..

In the by-election, the three former MPs regained their seats.