Private Prosecutor for case against woman alleging PM’s link to a murder case

Staff Reporters/

Apia, Samoa – 15 May 2025 – Police will not prosecute the case against a woman who alleges the Prime Minister’s connection to the high profile murder case of academic and writer Dr. Sinavaiana Carol Gabbard in May 2024.

The accused, Lise Marie Schmidt, represented by lawyer Tanya Toailoa, appeared before District Court Judge Talasa Saaga on Tuesday this week.

Police referred the matter to the Attorney General’s Office that appointed lawyer Magele Leone Su’a Mailo to prosecute given the relationship between some of the witnesses and police.

Judge Saaga granted application to adjourn the matter to 3 June for the prosecution to finalise the charges against the defendant who has yet to enter a plea.

Police charged Lise Schmidt in March following a letter she wrote to the Attorney General and copied the Minister of Police and Police Commissioner that made serious allegations of the Prime Minister’s involvement in the death of Dr Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard.

The accused alleged having conversations and meetings with the Prime Minister and claimed she was instructed to retrieve evidence allegedly connected to the death.

She was charged after a police investigation and Commissioner of Police, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo said the claims were unsubstantiated and could not be verified.

The accused however said she was never investigated by the police regarding her allegations and after sending a follow up letter to the Police Commissioner, she was surprised to learn from the media that the Commissioner claimed the allegations cannot be substantiated and that police will lay charges.

When asked in a press conference if she will file a complaint against Schmidt, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said the police had concluded their investigation and the allegations were untrue and she would not waste her time pursuing it.