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Samoa Briefs

44YR OLD MAN GETS LIFE SENTENCE FOR DOUBLE MURDER

 

A 44-year-old man in Samoa, Sua Mapu Pepa, has admitted two counts of murder and chief judge Patu Falefatu Sapolu, immediately sentenced him to life in prison.

 

Police had arrested Pepa after the killing of two men in the village of Ulutogia in Aleipata district last month.

 

The three were involved in a dispute over land.

 

Pepa appeared last two weeks for mention but that hearing was adjourned until today to allow him to find legal representation.

 

But the defendant did not have a lawyer to represent him, and he entered a guilty plea.

 

SAMOA GOV’T MINISTERS TO BE SENTENCED IN TWO WEEKS

 

A judge in Samoa has adjourned the sentencing of two government ministers until May the 13th.

 

The deputy prime minister Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo, and associate minister Muagututagata Peter Ah Him, were both found guilty of obstructing police during an incident in Apia in October last year.

 

The Samoa Observer reports the District Court Judge Vaepule Alo Vaemoa Va'ai heard submissions on Friday from lawyers representing the men.

 

Fonotoe's counsel, Donald Kerslake, asked the court to only impose monetary fines, citing his client's clean record and standing in the community.

 

The lawyer for Muagututagata, Patrick Fepuleai, included in his submissions that his client had suffered shame through media reports, and had been present in court over the two-day hearing.

 

While adjourning the sentencing, Judge Vaepule told the lawyers their clients should have behaved in accordance with their high office.

 

SAMOA'S SUSPENDED ASSOCIATE MINISTER REINSTATED

 

Samoa's associate minister for the Ministry of Police and Prisons, Fire and Rescue Authority has been reinstated after being suspended for more than three months.

 

The prime minister because of misconduct suspended Lafaitele Patrick Leiataualesa.

 

Lafaitele's salary and other benefits were also affected.

 

The Prime Minister, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, announced the lifting of the suspension recently.

 

Lafaitele was sworn in again before the Head of State, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, and the Chief Justice, Patu Falefatu Sapolu.

 

BOXER ALEX LEAPAI VOWS TO FIGHT ON

 

Alex Leapai insists he will be back but admits he never got much of a chance to fight in yesterday's one-sided defeat to world heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko.

 

The 38-year-old Klitschko easily retained the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO crowns, knocking out the Samoan-born Australian in the fifth round in Oberhausen.

 

The Ukrainian hasn't lost since April 2004 and Leapai says he tried to go inside and avoid the jab but it didn't work.

 

The 34 year old says his fifth defeat is not the end of his career and says it's back to the gym to keep working hard.

 

Meanwhile, on the undercard to the main event, the New Zealand-Samoan boxer Joseph Parker beat Brazilian Marcelo Nascimento by a technical knockout in the seventh round.