The Solomon Islands Minister for Provincial Government and Constituency Development, Clement Rojumana, has been arrested on 25 charges of official corruption.
The arrest of Rojumana was made by a task force set up by the Regional Assistance Mission and the local police to target corruption.
The taskforce has been carrying out a major investigation into the corrupt granting of Citizenship Certificates.
RAMSI says the charges relate to actions by Rojumana when he was Minister of Home Affairs.
The acting police commissioner, Sandi Peisley, says the arrest is an important milestone in the restoration of the rule of law in Solomon Islands.
In a statement she says that official corruption is one of the major concerns of ordinary Solomon Islanders so it is extremely pleasing that the hard work and dedication of the task force is producing such concrete results.
Rojumana was arrested this morning at his Ministerial office and appeared in court late this afternoon.
He has been granted bail to reappear on 21st February.
If convicted he faces up to seven years' imprisonment on each charge.
