Ads by Google Ads by Google

Land dispute lands Samoa man in jail for severing neighbor’s hand

A 49-year-old man from Eva was yesterday jailed 18 months for cutting off a neighbour’s hand with a machete during a violent land dispute.The decision against Ta’avao Isaako Ta’avao was delivered by Justice Vui Clarence Nelson in the Supreme Court.The Court heard that the incident was a “spur of the moment”which has left a 30-year-old man without his left hand.Represented by lawyer, Maiava Visekota Peteru, Ta’avao pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm.During the hearing, the Court heard that the incident was the result of a dispute about the boundary of traditional land.The accused had apparently made an agreement with the complainant’s older brother for him to put up a fence to stop pigs from entering his property.So he got the posts, wire and started erecting the fence. At the end of the first day, the defendant left the materials there with the idea that he would return to it the next day.The next day, the defendant returned to find that someone had uprooted the posts and tossed them on his land.Ta’avao saw the victim working nearby so he called out to him butthe man did not respond.