Defamation Charge withdrawn, Maota o Viiga hosts to file for legal costs

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, SAMOA – 28 July 2026: The defamation charges against the couple hosts of the online Maota o Viiga program have been withdrawn, and the court has given them the opportunity to file for legal costs against the police.

The police filed defamation charges against Australia based Toleafoa Saia Toleafoa and Ainuu Iliganoa Savainaea on behalf of the New Zealand based complainant Asiata Pio Vaoliko who did not appear in court for his case.

In todays’ proceedings, the Prosecutor Magele Leone Sua asked to withdraw the charges based on the lack of evidence.

The court granted the application then informed the defendants to file an application for legal costs under Section 188 Costs (2) by Monday next week and give the respondent Friday to respond.

Section 188. Costs – (2) If an information is withdrawn or dismissed, the Court may only order the informant to pay to the defendant costs, as the Court thinks just and reasonable, for fees for the defendant’s lawyer and expert witnesses if there was no evidence to support the information and no evidence to cause a reasonable person to suspect the defendant, and not otherwise.

The court also cancelled the bail conditions imposed on the defendants.

The defendants were charged based on what they allegedly said on social media about the complainant.

In the preliminary hearing, the prosecution applied to have her client give evidence via a zoom link from New Zealand but was declined and when the matter was called for hearing today, the complainant did not appear.