NZ Police Assist Investigate FAST Leader’s Complaint

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 21 January 2025 – A team of New Zealand police officers is working with the local police in investigating the complaints by the FAST Leader, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt and Tupuola Mati Sekuini against the HRPP Leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and Party Secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.

The Commissioner of Police Auapaau Logoitino Filipo confirmed with the media yesterday that the police are investigating the complaints.

“Yes, there are complaints, and we are currently investigating and analysing comments and words issued against Laauli and Tupuola as we want to know if such words warrant a case or not. If so, then the accused can be charged under the defamation and electronic harassment provision,” said Auapaau.

Pushed further to clarify why the delay, he said lawyers are currently reviewing the case.

The complaint is against an alleged accusation by Tuilaepa and Lealailepule made in a video clip that implicated Tupuola’s late husband, Vaele Iona Sekuini and Laauli for the death of a young university student in the unresolved hit and run incident at Vaitele in April 2021.

To date, no one has been directly charged for the students death as police insisted the lack of evidence.

In a press conference on Monday this week, Laauli said he still does not know if their complaints filed in late 2023 are being investigated by police or not.

LONGSTANDING COMPLAINT
On 18 September 2023, Tupuola wrote to the Commissioner of Police seeking assistance to end the misinformation on social media about her late husband who was implicated in the hit and run incident.

She claimed that the source of the misinformation was a video clip where Lealailepule allegedly claimed that Tupuola admitted to the Police Commissioner that it was her late husband who was involved in the unresolved hit and run incident.

In an interview with Talamua then, Tupuola said that it was not a complaint but a letter requesting for police help. But after she saw Lealailepule’s allegations in the video and Tuilaepa repeating Leala’s claim, she then presented the same letter as an official complaint.

A second complaint for defamation followed and was told by the investigating officer that it took 21 days for the investigation then police will inform her.

It is over a year since Laauli and Tupuolas’ complaints were lodged, yet, new complaints against Laauli have been dealt with resulting in Laauli being charged on 3 January 2025 and his termination as a Cabinet Minister.

In the press conference this week, Laauli questioned the integrity of the police in dealing with people’s matters, especially the time frame the complaint was lodged and the delay in dealing with it.