A total of seven declared, Leaders, out of eleven defined by the Leadership Code Act entered a guilty plea to a single Charge of Failing to File Annual returns contrary to Section 33 (a) of the Leadership Code Act in the Supreme Court this morning.

Four other leaders apart from the 11 who appeared before Justice Dudley Aru on the same charge, pleaded not guilty. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Thursday 9th of December 2021 to determine their trial dates.

The sentences of all these leaders will occur simultaneously after the trial of the 4 leaders who entered a not guilty plea.

The maximum penalty for the offence committed under the Leadership Code Act is Vt2.000.000. Ombudsman Hamlison Bulu with the assistance of State Prosecutors within the Ombudsman Office commence the prosecution of these leaders in September 2021.

The Office is also currently working on bringing another 30 Leaders to court for failure to file and filing false returns.