Jimmy Lusibaea
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Lusibaea also known as Jimmy "Rasta", is a Solomon Islands
politician.
He became involved in the severe ethnic conflicts on Guadalcanal
and Malaita
in the early 2000s. He has been described as a "warlord
", and was one of the leaders of the Malaita Eagle Force
, an armed ethnic militia formed to fight for the interests of Malaitan migrants facing expulsion from Guadalcanal. He surrendered in 2003 when an international peacekeeping force, RAMSI, arrived in the Solomons. He was arrested, accused of several crimes, including having taken part in the attempted murder of bank manager Moses Garu
; charges on that count were dropped when "witnesses failed to testify". He was convicted for a robbery
committed in 2000, and given a five year sentence. In 2006, he was "acquitted of the death of two special constables allegedly killed in his yard" in 2002.
Sent to prison after RAMSI's arrival, he "found religion on the inside and, on his release, set up a successful business". Having studied heavy plant
mechanics
at the Afutara Vocational School, he eventually became Managing Director of the Lion Heart Company, before going into politics in 2010.
He began his political career by standing in the North Malaita constituency
in the August 2010 general election
. He was elected, and appointed Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Prime Minister Danny Philip
's government. In September, as Fisheries Minister, he warned that the government would crack down on foreign vessels illegally fishing in Solomon Islands waters.
In September 2010, he was charged with "attempted murder with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault on a police officer and discharging a firearm in a public place", for crimes allegedly committed in 2001. Specifically, he was accused of inflicting head injuries on police officer Sam Manekeha, and of shooting civilian Robert Solo in both knees, while a commander in the Malaita Eagle Force. In November, he pleaded guilty in court to the charges of assault causing grievous bodily harm and assaulting a police officer, and was remanded in custody to await his sentence.
While Lusibaea was awaiting his sentence, he received unexpected praise from the Leader of the Opposition, Steve Abana
. Abana declared himself impressed with Lusibaea's work as Fisheries Minister, noting his achievement in negotiating with Japan
, South Korea
and Taiwan
, earlier in November, to successfully double the access fee for foreign vessels wishing to fish in Solomon Islands waters. Abana stated:
On 30 November, he was sentenced to two years and nine months in gaol for assault and grievous bodily harm. As his sentence exceeded six months in gaol, he lost his seat in Parliament, and thus his position in government. He was released from gaol on parole
on 14 January, reportedly for good behaviour and for having undergone rehabilitation. His early release caused an "uproar" among the Opposition, with acting Leader of the Opposition Matthew Wale requesting further explanation, and suggesting that the government might have pressured the parole board into granting Lusibaea's release.
On 20 January, the Minister for Police, James Tora
, reduced Lusibaea's sentence to one month, using his discretion as Minister under section 38 of the Correctional Service Act. Consequently, as it appeared Lusibaea was no longer barred from occupying his seat, he resumed his functions in Parliament. The Opposition announced it would "challenge the matter in court". Rodney Kingmele, President of the Solomon Islands Bar Association, also criticised the decision. Lusibaea's ability to sit in Parliament as a member of the government majority was viewed as crucial at a time when the government was struggling to maintain a viable majority, in the face of defections. It was initially unclear whether Lusibaea was set to resume his post in Cabinet, but a listing of ministers in April 2011 still had the position of Fisheries Minister "vacant".
On 17 October, the High Court ruled, in the case brought by the Opposition, that the Minister for Police and the Parole Board had lacked the authority to reduce the sentence, although they did have the authority to remit it. They could reduce the execution of the sentence, but that did not alter the fact that the sentence had indeed been passed. A sentence could only be overturned by a court of appeal, or by the monarch's use of her prerogative of mercy
. Thus it remained the case that, having been sentenced to two years and nine months in gaol, Lusibaea was barred from sitting in Parliament. The ruling came just as the Prime Minister had announced he intended for Lusibaea to resume his functions as Fisheries Minister - a decision rendered impossible by his renewed exclusion from Parliament.
Days after being excluded from Parliament once more, Lusibaea donated SI$
74,700 to meet the tuition fees of all twenty-six students from his erstwhile constituency who were currently studying at the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education. He explained that he wished to assist and "serve the future leaders of North Malaita".
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
politician.
He became involved in the severe ethnic conflicts on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
and Malaita
Malaita
Malaita is the largest island of the Malaita Province in the Solomon Islands. A tropical and mountainous island, Malaita's pristine river systems and tropical forests have not been exploited. Malaita is the most populous island of the Solomon Islands, with 140,000 people or more than a third of the...
in the early 2000s. He has been described as a "warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
", and was one of the leaders of the Malaita Eagle Force
Malaita Eagle Force
Malaita Eagles Force is a militant organization, originating in the island of Malaita, in the Solomon Islands.It was set up during 'The Tension' in the Solomons, which were mainly centred on Guadalcanal, to defend diasporic Malaitans in Guadalcanal and the property of Malaitans that have left the...
, an armed ethnic militia formed to fight for the interests of Malaitan migrants facing expulsion from Guadalcanal. He surrendered in 2003 when an international peacekeeping force, RAMSI, arrived in the Solomons. He was arrested, accused of several crimes, including having taken part in the attempted murder of bank manager Moses Garu
Moses Garu
Moses Garu is a Solomon Islands politician.With diplomas in tropical agriculture and in secondary teaching, he has worked in public service, as a school teacher, and in banking. He was a bank manager at the time of the severe ethnic conflicts on Guadalcanal and Malaita in the early 2000s...
; charges on that count were dropped when "witnesses failed to testify". He was convicted for a robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
committed in 2000, and given a five year sentence. In 2006, he was "acquitted of the death of two special constables allegedly killed in his yard" in 2002.
Sent to prison after RAMSI's arrival, he "found religion on the inside and, on his release, set up a successful business". Having studied heavy plant
Heavy industry
Heavy industry does not have a single fixed meaning as compared to light industry. It can mean production of products which are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production. In general, it is a popular term used within the name of many Japanese and Korean firms, meaning...
mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
at the Afutara Vocational School, he eventually became Managing Director of the Lion Heart Company, before going into politics in 2010.
He began his political career by standing in the North Malaita constituency
Constituencies in Solomon Islands
There are 50 constituencies in Solomon Islands, each electing one Member of Parliament to the National Parliament. Elections are held every four years; the most recent took place on April 5, 2006...
in the August 2010 general election
Solomon Islands general election, 2010
A general election was held in the Solomon Islands on 4 August 2010. In May 2010, Prime Minister Derek Sikua announced that the election would be held on 4 August, however, this announcement was deemed to be premature, as only the Governor General has the authority to announce the election date...
. He was elected, and appointed Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Prime Minister Danny Philip
Danny Philip
Danny Philip is a politician and diplomat from the Solomon Islands. He is the current Prime Minister, who came into office after the 2010 general election. He served as foreign minister from 1995 to 1996 and from July 2000 to June 2001...
's government. In September, as Fisheries Minister, he warned that the government would crack down on foreign vessels illegally fishing in Solomon Islands waters.
In September 2010, he was charged with "attempted murder with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault on a police officer and discharging a firearm in a public place", for crimes allegedly committed in 2001. Specifically, he was accused of inflicting head injuries on police officer Sam Manekeha, and of shooting civilian Robert Solo in both knees, while a commander in the Malaita Eagle Force. In November, he pleaded guilty in court to the charges of assault causing grievous bodily harm and assaulting a police officer, and was remanded in custody to await his sentence.
While Lusibaea was awaiting his sentence, he received unexpected praise from the Leader of the Opposition, Steve Abana
Steve Abana
Steve William Abana is a Solomon Islands politician. He is currently Member of Parliament for Fataleka, and was the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition from August 2010 to March 2011....
. Abana declared himself impressed with Lusibaea's work as Fisheries Minister, noting his achievement in negotiating with Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, earlier in November, to successfully double the access fee for foreign vessels wishing to fish in Solomon Islands waters. Abana stated:
"Mr Lusibaea's outstanding performance and his continued assistance to community groups touched many hearts and this speaks loud and clear of the totally changed person he is now to what he was during the ethnic tension. Solomon Islands needs enthusiastic leaders like Mr Lusibaea who are keen to learn and to carry out their official obligations to the best of their ability."
On 30 November, he was sentenced to two years and nine months in gaol for assault and grievous bodily harm. As his sentence exceeded six months in gaol, he lost his seat in Parliament, and thus his position in government. He was released from gaol on parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
on 14 January, reportedly for good behaviour and for having undergone rehabilitation. His early release caused an "uproar" among the Opposition, with acting Leader of the Opposition Matthew Wale requesting further explanation, and suggesting that the government might have pressured the parole board into granting Lusibaea's release.
On 20 January, the Minister for Police, James Tora
James Tora
James Tora is a Solomon Islands politician.After studying at the Honiara Technical Institute, he worked as Supervising Manager for Student Welfare Services at the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education...
, reduced Lusibaea's sentence to one month, using his discretion as Minister under section 38 of the Correctional Service Act. Consequently, as it appeared Lusibaea was no longer barred from occupying his seat, he resumed his functions in Parliament. The Opposition announced it would "challenge the matter in court". Rodney Kingmele, President of the Solomon Islands Bar Association, also criticised the decision. Lusibaea's ability to sit in Parliament as a member of the government majority was viewed as crucial at a time when the government was struggling to maintain a viable majority, in the face of defections. It was initially unclear whether Lusibaea was set to resume his post in Cabinet, but a listing of ministers in April 2011 still had the position of Fisheries Minister "vacant".
On 17 October, the High Court ruled, in the case brought by the Opposition, that the Minister for Police and the Parole Board had lacked the authority to reduce the sentence, although they did have the authority to remit it. They could reduce the execution of the sentence, but that did not alter the fact that the sentence had indeed been passed. A sentence could only be overturned by a court of appeal, or by the monarch's use of her prerogative of mercy
Prerogative of Mercy
In the British tradition the Prerogative of Mercy is one of the historic Royal Prerogatives of the British monarch in which he or she can grant pardons to convicted persons...
. Thus it remained the case that, having been sentenced to two years and nine months in gaol, Lusibaea was barred from sitting in Parliament. The ruling came just as the Prime Minister had announced he intended for Lusibaea to resume his functions as Fisheries Minister - a decision rendered impossible by his renewed exclusion from Parliament.
Days after being excluded from Parliament once more, Lusibaea donated SI$
Solomon Islands dollar
The dollar is the currency of the Solomon Islands since 1977. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign "$" or, alternatively "SI$" to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
74,700 to meet the tuition fees of all twenty-six students from his erstwhile constituency who were currently studying at the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education. He explained that he wished to assist and "serve the future leaders of North Malaita".