Jimmy Rasta
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The Right Honourable Jimmy Lusibaea MP |
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|---|---|
| Minister of Fisheries & Marine Resources | |
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In office 27 August 2010 – 30 November 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Danny Philip |
| Preceded by | Nollen Cornelius Leni |
| Succeeded by | Bodo Dettke |
| Member of Parliament for North Malaita |
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In office 20 January 2011 – 17 October 2011 |
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| Preceded by | himself, prior to vacancy |
| Member of Parliament for North Malaita |
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In office 4 August 2010 – 30 November 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Daniel Enele Kwanairara |
| Succeeded by | himself, following vacancy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 July 1970 Malu'u, Malaita Province |
| Political party | Independent |
Jimmy Lusibaea (born 7 July 1970), also known as Jimmy "Rasta", is a Solomon Islands politician.
He was born in Malu'u, Malaita Province.
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.
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