The speaker of the Solomon Islands Temotu provincial assembly, Johnson Levela has been charged with 12 counts of official corruption and conversion.
Mr Levela appeared in the Magistrates' Court at Lata, the provincial capital of Temotu last week.
He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges therefore a pre-trial conference was conducted on the same day.
Honiara-based Principal Magistrate, Fatima Taeburi, then announced that a three week trial would be conducted in the next court circuit to Lata, a date to be announced later.
Mr Levela was accused of committing the crimes on different occasions when he was Premier of Temotu Province.
It had been alleged Mr Levela collected business and licence fees from various Honiara-based companies which carried out shipping, logging and trading activities in Temotu Province.
Solomon Star reported the pre-trial conference heard Mr Levela did not give the money to his provincial government but used it on himself instead.
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