Willie Jimmy

Jimmy is the founder and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and served in many legislatures. A former Minister of Finance and former Deputy Prime Minister, he was among 14 Members of Parliament (MPs) who were implicated in the bribery and corruption charges in 2014/15 and were convicted of those crimes.

He was the only one to have not been jailed as he entered a guilty plea at the first given opportunity. Jimmy was then given a suspended sentence which he already served.

Fifteen Vanuatu politicians, former members of the government, were convicted on corruption and bribery charges in October, and on Monday were banned from holding public office under the provisions of the Leadership Code.

Fourteen of the former politicians are in jail with just Jimmy given a suspended sentence, which had allowed him to continue as finance minister.

But on Monday Justice David Chetwynd ruled all 15 could not hold public office for 10 years and that their entitlements are withdrawn.

Sixteen MPs, including four cabinet ministers, have been accused of bribery.

Last week Jimmy pleaded guilty while the remaining MPs and ministers, including the acting prime minister Moana Carcasses, chose to go to trial.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reports Justice Mary Sey saying she did not convict Jimmy last week because he was not represented by a lawyer at that time.

He has now been excused from the trial.

This comes as 18 mainly government MPs, including five ministers, are facing charges of bribery under both the leadership code and the country's penal code.

The Minister of Finance, Willie Jimmy pleaded guilty this morning to the charge of bribery under the leadership code.

The opposition said that the main reason it is preparing the motion is due to the seriousness of the current criminal case, the trial for which has been adjourned to next week.