Manslaughter charge reduced to assault after medical analysis

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 08 JUNE 2022: The manslaughter charge against a church minster, Reverend Poasa Leaupepe has been reduced to assault after a medical report says the deceased died from leukaemia.

The defendant was charged with manslaughter, grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm, and was scheduled for an Assessors hearing before Justice Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma yesterday.

However, prosecution applied to the Court to withdraw all charges and replace them with one count of assault.

“These are serious charges, what is the basis of the applications?” he asked.

Prosecutor Fuifui Ioane said there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the charges hence the application to withdraw all charges and replace them with the lesser charge of assault.

The assault was not disputed and the application was granted and the defendant’s not guilty plea to the previous charges has been vacated and replaced with a guilty plea to the lesser charge.

Assault charge filed in 2020
The charge stemmed from an incident where the defendant assaulted the victim on 4 February 2020 at Safotu, where the defendant served as a church minister.

Three weeks later, the victim died at Motootua hospital and police charged the defendant with manslaughter and two other charges.

The Court heard that a medical opinion had already been provided that the victim died of leukaemia.

However, police opted for an autopsy which confirmed the medical opinion that the cause of death was complications of leukaemia.

The matter is now referred to the District Court for mention next Tuesday.