15 Mar 2005

Maina finally goes from Solomon islands Cabinet

4:37 pm on 15 March 2005

A senior member of the Solomon Islands Cabinet has been sacked after refusing to resign.

Sources in Honiara say Michael Maina, who was the Police, National Security and Justice Minister until two weeks ago when he was demoted to Reconciliation Minister, has now been sacked from Cabinet.

Maina is one of three, now former, Ministers facing criminal charges.

He was charged last month with theft in connection with an alleged payment of more than 150 thousand US dollars into a bank account he controlled.

Sources say the Prime Minister, Sir Allen Kemakeza, dumped Maina before he left yesterday for talks in Port Moresby.