Marcellino Pipite Explained

Marcellino Pipite is a Vanuatuan politician and former school administration, who was first elected to Parliament in 2004. He was the foreign minister of Vanuatu[1] from November 2004 until December 2004, in the government of Serge Vohor. He was previously the minister for comprehensive reform.[2] He lost his position in the cabinet in December 2004 when the Vohor government fell.

He was elected as the Speaker of the Parliament of Vanuatu on 16 June 2015,[3] and served until October 2015.

On October 10, 2015, while serving as acting President, he pardoned himself and 13 other MPs who the Supreme Court had found guilty of bribery.[4] President Baldwin Lonsdale, returning to Vanuatu hours after Pipite's pardon has been issued, declared that nobody is above the law and revoked the pardon, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court of Vanuatu.[5] [6] Pipite and 10 of the other MPs faced charges of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Sentencing on the bribery charges went ahead and Pipite was jailed for 3 years, together with most of the other convicted MPs.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Vanuatu foreign minister's post said "rotated". November 16, 2004. Port Vila Presse via BBC. 8 July 2011.
  2. Book: Keesing's record of world events. 2004. Longman.
  3. News: New Vanuatu government changes speaker . . 2015-06-16 . 2015-10-13.
  4. News: Vanuatu's acting president uses interim executive powers to pardon himself and 13 others convicted of bribery. Liam Fox. 2015-10-10. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2015-10-12.
  5. Web site: Vanuatu pardons could be reversed. 12 October 2015. 17 June 2017.
  6. Web site: Vanuatu judge says MPs' pardons invalid. 21 October 2015. 17 June 2017.
  7. Web site: Vanuatu court sentences 14 MPs to jail for corruption. 22 October 2015. 17 June 2017. www.bbc.com.