71 year old father pleads guilty to raping two daughters

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 30 JUNE 2022: A 71 year old man is in police custody after pleading guilty to two counts of rape yesterday.

The victims are the defendant’s two daughters.

The defendant entered a not guilty plea on 6 counts of rape when the matter was first called, but changed his plea yesterday when he appeared before Chief Justice Satiu Simativa Perese.

The Court heard that the defendant had committed the crime from 2016 to 2018.

One of his daughters is now 20 years old and the other is 15 and is currently under the care of the Samoa Victim Support Group Campus of Hope at Tuana’imato.

After pleading guilty, prosecution asked to drop 4 charges and he will be sentenced on the two remaining charges on 8 August 2022.