SAMOAN MP FOUND NOT GUILTY BUT MEDIA MAN GUILTY OF FORGERY

Apia: A Samoa independent MP, Laauli Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt have been found not guilty of more than one hundred criminal charges. Laauli was accused of forgery, theft, and the unlawful hiring of company trucks to the Samoa Vailima Brewery company.

Other defendants - his wife, a director, and an employee of the Local Partners and Associates nonu juice company - were also found not guilty. But one of the company’s directors, a high profile journalist and media practitioner, Apulu Lance Polu, was found guilty of one count of forgery.

Apulu is set to appear again next month for a probation report and sentence.

This is the outcome of the long awaited court verdict on the trial against the five defendants over a complaint filed to the Police by a ruling party MP and associate Minister, Peseta Vaifou Tevaga, whose son is one of the company’s directors.