A businessman in Solomon Islands has been charged in connection with the alleged theft of thousands of dollars from a public health fund.
A builder,Tigi Sikele, of Malaita was charged with two counts of false pretences over the alleged theft of more than $US86,000 from a $US1,240,000 health fund.
The money had been intended for the construction of a small hospital at Tulagi in Central Province.
The Solomon Star reports the police prosecutor, David Tepai, told the magistrates court Mr Sikele had a company called Vast View Building Construction, which won a government tender to build the hospital.
The paper said Mr Sikele and four former officials from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and two others have been accused of defrauding the health fund, which is partly provided by foreign aid donors.
