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PORT MORESBY - A 37-year-old Australian man charged with illegally buying gold in the Solomon Islands has been permitted to return to Australia briefly after being granted a bail variation.
Colin Jackson, described as a scrap metal dealer, was arrested by Solomons police in Honiara on February 12 and charged with six counts of illegally purchasing gold without a valid licence.
He was granted bail but was not allowed to leave the Solomons pending his court case.
But in the High Court in Honiara, Justice David Cameron consented to a bail variation allowing him to travel to Australia to obtain documents for his court case and return by May 4, the Solomon Star reported today.
Police were ordered to return Jackson's passport but he was obliged to surrender it to police again on his return from Australia.
- AAP
