PETITIONED OUT FOR TELLING THE TRUTH: TUKI

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BY GEORGINA KEKEA

THE ousted Member of Parliament (MP) for Temotu/Vatud Constituency, Freda Tuki says she lost the petition against her for telling the truth.

She said she accepted the High Court ruling and didn’t feel bad at all for losing her seat.

Tuki says she didn’t lie in court nor did she felt the need to since she took an oath to say nothing else but the truth.

She said she didn’t deny the fact that she gave $2000 to a family in need during the campaign period of the 2014 election.

She said the family had a sick child and they sought her out for assistance. She said as the family was in dire need, she felt obliged to support them.

“I didn’t ask them to vote for me nor did I ask them to support me. I didn’t deny this in court when they asked about it. Also I had helped our local church when they asked me to support them in purchasing candles and wine.

“My officer gave to them the assistance they needed. I didn’t partake in the transaction of this assistance. However they made an announcement in church to thank me for the assistance. Those I didn’t deny doing.”

She said when the high court judge made the sentence yesterday, she accepted the decision based on the two claims.

But she denied hunting people to support and vote for her during the campaign period in 2014.

“I didn’t go around looking for people with basket of money to lure them into voting for me,” she said.

Tuki said despite being petitioned from being MP for Temotu/Vatud, she is quite satisfied with her four years as MP.

She said parliament only has two months or less to go before it dissolves thus she has no regrets.

She said she felt okay losing the petition by being honest rather than win it by fabricating stories.

“I take my oath seriously. I cannot lie by the Bible. And I have nothing to lose when I lost the petition. I am okay with my status as an entrepreneur,”Tuki said.

From Nukukaisi village, FredaTuki was elected into the National Parliament of Solomon Islands for Temotu/Vatud constituency on November 19, 2014.

She had been appointed Minister of Rural Development in 2015 and twice appointed as Minister of Women, Youth and Children Affairs.

A portfolio she held till she was petitioned out by a former MP and rival contestant in 2014, Clay Forau. 

 Forau immediately following the announcement of Tuki's win in 2014, lodged a petition against her. It took the High Court four years before a ruling was made.  Justice Foukona made the ruling on Monday first October 2018. 

“So now I am taking this chance to relax a bit. I am satisfied with the judgement ruling. Though it is hurtful for the time being, it will pass. There is nothing else for me to say,”Tuki said.

Tuki was the Managing Director of Pacific Logging Company Limited prior to entering parliament.

ENDS///


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