Police Oppose Samuelu Su’a’s Appeal

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, SAMOA – 09 April 2024 – The police through prosecutor Taimalelagi Leinafo Strickland have filed a notice of opposition against Samuelu Su’a and Sivai Kepi’s application to appeal the District Court’s decision that denied their bail application.

Last month, District Court Judge Talasa Atoa Saaga denied bail for the defendants after a three hour hearing.

One of the reasons to deny bail was the failure of the defendant’s lawyer to obtain the CT scan result for the court on Samuelu’s health as the basis of the bail application.

Both defendants have been in police custody at Tanumalala prison since February 2024.

The matter was called in the Supreme Court yesterday and the defendant’s lawyer Fetu Lagaaia applied to remove himself as counsel for the defendant as police have filed a complaint against the lawyer for harbouring a witness.

Presiding Justice Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma granted the application.

New legal team takes on Su’a’s appeal
Meanwhile, the mother and daughter legal team of Unasa Iuni and Fuimaono Josephine Sapolu are confirmed as the legal team for Samuelu Su’a and Sivai Kepi.

The Court gave the confirmation after granting Lagaaia’s application.

Fuimaono applied to the Court for an early hearing of the appeal and Justice Fepulea’i adjourned the matter to 22 April 2024 so counsels could get instructions from the defendants.

Samuelu Su’a and Sivai Kepi are facing defamation charges for naming certain individuals in relation to the unresolved hit and run case at Vaitele in April 2021. They are jointly charged with three others and the matter was scheduled for the week commencing 20 March 2024.

However, they appealed the denial of their bail application and followed by their application to recuse the presiding Judge. These are remaining preliminary matters that need to be dealt with before the actual hearing scheduled for May.