MP calls for Forensic Audit Report to be Tabled in Parliament

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 22 October 2025 – The Member of Parliament for Fa’asaleleaga 3, Namulau’ulu Sami Leota has called for the Forensic Audit report to be tabled in Parliament.

Namulau’ulu was the first Member of Parliament to speak on the Budget Estimates 2025/2026 when parliament reconvened this morning.

Namulau’ulu asked the Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio’o for an update on the forensic report which $1.5 million was allocated for and conducted by the auditing company BDO from New Zealand.

He said it was important for the report to be abled in Parliament to see if there had been any discrepancies and if not, praise God, but he emphasized that the report must be tabled in parliament.

“E taua le tuuina mai o le lipoti sa poloaina e le Palemene, pe faaletonu, ia faaali mai i luma nei, ae a lelei, viia le Alii, ae tatau ona tuuina mai ai.”

The Forensic Audit was called when Mulipola was the Minister of Finance when the inaugural FAST Government got into power in July 2021.

Then Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa told parliament, it was important for a forensic audit to be undertaken especially it had been a long time since there had been a change in government, and it was crucial to see where the government major projects stand.

After a Cabinet reshuffle, the new Minister of Finance said the report was to have been tabled in Cabinet in October 2024.

The previous Cabinet had a chance to review the report and was supposed to tabled it in parliament but could not when governments budget was rejected and parliament dissolved earlier.

Two weeks ago, Mulipola, back again as Minister of Finance was asked for an update on the forensic audit report. She told the media the report was quite thick, and she had asked the Ministry of Finance to make a presentation to Cabinet first on the report and its findings.

Namulau’ulu who defeated the former Speaker to represent the Faasaleleaga 3 constituency in the 18th parliament, is an Opposition MP and was the first speak on the budget this morning.

Parliament has extended its sitting hours including night sessions in order for the budget to be passed by the 29 October as the government is now operating on a state of emergency budget.

The $1.24 billon tala 2025/2026 Budget Estimates now debated by parliament is to fund government operations through to the main budget in June 2026.