Forensic Report to be Tabled in Parliament Soon

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 10 January 2025 – The highly expected Forensic Audit Report is to be tabled in Parliament soon.

The Minister of Finance, Lautimuia Uelese Vaai told Talamua that the report was supposed to be tabled in Cabinet in October 2024, but because of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that month, the Auckland based company conducting the audit, Binder Dijker Otte (BDO) asked for an extension.

“The extension was granted to December 2024 and we hope to table the report in parliament soon,” said Lautimuia.

The forensic audit has raised critical feedback from the Opposition party that accused the Government of trying to find faults against the previous HRPP Governments.
Other opposition MPs questioned the delay as they wanted to see the report findings if the pervious governments misappropriated any public funds.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa told parliament that the forensic audit was not to find faults or accuse anyone, but for clarity on where major development projects stand after a change of Government.

She also said that forensic audits are necessary especially that the same government had been in power for a long time.

Samoa only had a change of government in July 2021 when the FAST government took over from HRPP that had been in power for 38 years with Tuilaepa as Prime Minister for 22 years.

The Government was also accused of delaying the process but Lautimuia clarified that the delay was due to issues such as finalising the contract with BDO, resolving the conflict of interest issues and contract payment schedules.

Projects listed for Forensic Audit Phase 1 include:
· The Ti’avea Airport Project
· $50 Stimulus for National ID
· Sheraton Hotel & Bungalows Apia Beach Road
· Lease on the Samoa Airways Aircraft
· Newly built prison at Tanumalala & Savaii
· SNPF new headquarters at Salelologa, Savaii
· New Electoral Office Mulinu’u
· Samoa National Broadband Highway & SchoolNet Project
· Underground Cabinet Network Arrangement (MCIT)
· Satitoa Port/wharf
· Nafanua Patrol Boat incident
· Tax Invoice Monitoring System (TIMS)
· Purchasing of the Ministry of Works computers
· Purchase of two vehicles from Scholastic Books for MESC
· Instalment of electricity to Falelatai & Samatau in 2019-2020
· Accountability of funds used by the former Prime Minister, Cabinet & the late Chief Justice under the Civil List Act
· Unforeseen & Unauthorized funds under the Act
· Tenders Board

Issues to be investigated under Phase 2 include:
· Measles Epidemic and & how funds were utilized
· COVID-19 justification on how funds and assets were used
· Review on all Government bodies financial status
· Terms of Reference on employment conduct