Magele Sekati Fiaui Clarifies Court Decision, Denies Misappropriation Allegations

Apia, Samoa – 27 November 2025 – Magele Sekati Fiaui today issued a statement to clarify the recent court decision of November 21, 2025, and to strongly refute misleading media reports suggesting personal misuse or misappropriation of funds from the Fono Faavae to fund his campaign.

“I want to set the record straight,” he stated.

“The court’s decision did not find that I personally misused or stole funds for my election campaign, as some headlines are inferring. It is crucial for the public to understand the actual findings of the court.”

Magele Sekati Fiaui addressed the specific matters highlighted in the court’s decision.

1. SAT$10,000 to Pentecostal Church:

This sum was provided to the Pentecostal Church for their youth fellowship. The District Council duly approved this request, and the money was given to the Church and all processes was in compliance with the operations manual.

The court’s concern centered on the timing of the presentation, which was close to election day, and the manner in which it was presented.

A witness for the Petitioner claimed in open court that Magele Sekati Fiaui used the words “tautuana le palota” (vote for us) when presenting the cheque. The court acknowledged that this statement was not included in the Petitioner’s witness affidavit, and therefore, Magele Sekati Fiaui’s in his response did not address it in his affidavits.

The court concluded that this constituted a corrupt practice due to the timing and presentation, but it did not find any misappropriation of these funds. The money was for an approved project in compliance financial management requirements of Fono Faavae.

2. SAT$50,000 Project and SAT$5,802 Project:

Both of these amounts were for duly approved projects that followed all established procedures and compliance requirements of the Fono Faavae.

Magele Sekati Fiaui further explained the court’s reasoning for its finding of corrupt practice related to his role as chairperson:

“The court did not find that the members of the Fono Faavae who processed these funds for the approved projects were acting as my agents for the elections. The court’s decision regarding corrupt practice was linked to my position as chairperson, requiring me to sign the cheques presented to me by executive officers of the Fono Faavae, and the unfortunate timing of these actions being close to the election period. It was about the perceived influence of the timing of these approved transactions, not about me stealing or misusing funds,” said Magele.

“I want to be unequivocally clear: the court made no finding that I stole or misappropriated funds for the purpose of my election campaign,” Magele Sekati Fiaui reiterated. “I strongly deny any such allegations, which are based on a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the court’s detailed findings.”

Magele Sekati Fiaui urges all media outlets to report accurately on the court’s decision and to correct any information that wrongly infers personal misappropriation of funds. He remains committed to transparency and serving his community with integrity.