Lise Schmidt pleads guilty to misleading police

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, SAMOA – 01 September 2026 – Lise Marie Schmidt has pleaded guilty to 9 charges of misleading police.

She originally entered a not guilty plea however, defense counsel Mapusua Tanya Toalioa applied to the court today to vacate her clients not guilty plea and replace it with a guilty plea.

The court granted it.

Court dismissed fabrication charges
The court also granted the application by the Prosecutor Magele Leone Su’a Mailo to withdraw 9 charges of fabrication against the accused.

The remaining charge of conspiracy to defeat the course of justice will be mentioned tomorrow giving prosecution a chance to consider whether to proceed with the charge or not.

The latest development has cut short the trial originally scheduled for a whole week.

Police had 36 witnesses lined up and five took the stand yesterday. But when the court resumed at 2.00pm today, counsels for both parties made applications which cut short the trial proceedings.