The former inmate, Patrick Ramarii, was one of the landowners who sold properties to Remengesau during his term as president.
Ramarii said he knew Remengesau back in 2000 when he was still vice president.
Ramarii agreed to sell a piece of his land to Remengesau for $41,000, paid in three installments.
Ramarii said he received an initial payment of a check for $1,000 while the second payment of $20,000 cash was delivered to him by then-first lady Debbie Remengesau in jail a week later.
Ramarii said the third payment amounting to $20,000 was paid through a traveler’s check but he was unable to cash or deposit it to his account because it was unsigned.
The prosecution said Mr. Remengesau promised to allow Ramarii to join a work release program if he would sell his land to the then-president.
But Ramarii said he did not get into the work release program.
During the cross examination, Remengesau’s counsel, Oldiais Ngiraikelau, asked Ramarii if he approached someone who works at the office of the vice president to sell his property. The witness answered, “no.”
Ramarii also answered no when asked if he talked with anyone who works with the vice president’s office regarding the property.
Ngiraikelau asked Ramarii about the $20,000 cash delivered to him in jail.
Ramarii told the defense counsel that the money was placed in a box and that there were other inmates around when he counted the cash.
He said he went out of jail later, escorted by a police officer, to deposit the money at a bank.
