Police Key Witness Recant Rape Allegations against Fepuleai

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 13 June 2025 – The police key witness, Marie Tusi has recanted rape allegations she made against former Member of Parliament, Fepuleai Faimata Su’a, a police officer and defendant Samuelu Sua.

Marie is the police key witness in the high-profile case where two former Members of Parliament, a former Police Inspector a couple, and a journalism student are standing trial for defamation, conspiracy and other charges relating to the unresolved hit and run incident that killed a university student, Tuuau Maletino at Vaitele on 21 April 2021.

Marie’s statement read out in court stated that Fepuleai raped her. But during cross examination by Fepuleai’s lawyer Richard Marchant, she admitted that the ‘rape’ never happened.

Marchant asked if the police have put in the part “Fepuleai raped her” in the statement and she said “no”.

“So Fepuleai did not rape you, is that correct?” sked Marchant.

“Yes” responded Marie.

The rape allegation
In Marie’s statement, she said that after one of the meetings they had at Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt’s office at Tuanaimato, Fepuleai took Marie back to the Mareke Lodge where she was staying with her aunt Sivai Kepi and husband Samuelu (Sam) Sua.

She said that it was on their way to the lodge that the allegations took place. She also said the allegation happened after Fepuleai watched a porn movie on his mobile phone.

However, under cross examination by Marchant, she admitted that Fepuleai did not rape her and denied the allegation about watching porn.

She also said that she only signed the statement that the police gave her.

Defendant Samuelu Sua under police guard at court.

Marie also accused Sam and a police officer named Elia that she stayed with during the investigation of raping her.

When Sam’s lawyer Kathryn Dalziel questioned her on the rape allegation against Sam, she admitted that she consented to having sex with Sam.

Marie said that she met Sam for the first time in 2023 when she came to Upolu looking for Sivai.

On their way home to Sivai, they stopped at one of the old houses along the way where the allegations supposedly took place.

She told the court how scared she was and that Sam told her not to say anything to anyone, including Sivai.

Dalziel then put to her that she consented to have sex with Sam and she said “yes”

Dalziel also told her that the reason why she gave the police a different story was because she was already in an affair with Sam and Marie said “yes”.

In re-cross examination by prosecution Taimalelagi Leinafo Strickland, she was asked if she understood what the word “affair” means, and Marie said “no”.

It was also put to Marie if she understood the question asked by Dalziel regarding the affair and she said “no.”

Marie was the 8th in a list of 76 police witnesses to give evidence in the high-profile case that comes to the end of the third week of a five week trial at the District Court with Judge Talasa Atoa Saaga presiding.