6 Feb 2004

RAMSI official says more high profile cases are possible after a Cabinet Minister jailed

5:05 pm on 6 February 2004

The Deputy Commisioner of the Royal Solomon Islands police, Ben McDevitt, is leaving open the question of whether more high-profile arrests will be made.

Sunday marks the 200-day anniversary of the presence of the Regional Assistance Mission, or Ramsi, to Solomon Islands -- ending a week that's seen a Cabinet Minister jailed for his role in the troubles of the past few years.

Ben McDevitt says that under Ramsi there have been 860 arrests, 50 of them concerning police officers, and more than 14-hundred charges laid.

He says whether more "big men" are caught in the net is up to Solomon Islanders.

"I think it's difficult at this stage to determine whether or not we'll have other cases involving members of Parliament. I think it's really just a case of let's wait and see what happens, let's see if people make allegations, and if in making allegations they come forward with evidence."

Ben McDevitt of the Solomon Islands Police.