More jail time for Vanuatu bribery convicts

Vanuatu's Supreme Court has sentenced 11 people already jailed for bribery to additional prison time for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

RNZ reports they are among 14 MPs serving terms after being found guilty of receiving money to cross the floor of parliament and change the government.

A former speaker Marcelino Pipite had pardoned himself and his colleagues of the bribery convictions while he was acting president during the president's absence overseas.

Pipite has now been sentenced to four years in prison to be served after his jail sentence for three years for bribery.

Tony Nari was given three years in the conspiracy case but six months were removed for showing remorse, meaning he is going to serve six years and six months.

A former lawyer Wilson Iuma was the only inmate who had his two years and nine months sentence suspended.

Justice Chetwynd reminded the inmates that conspiracy to defeat the course of justice is a serious crime as the inmates were intervening with the justice system itself.

Fourteen MPs are serving terms after being found guilty of receiving money to cross the floor of parliament and change the government.

 

Photo file: Tony Nari, Serge Vohor (middle) and lawyer Robin Kababa outside court in October of 2015 Photo: RNZI / Hilaire Bule