Apia, SAMOA — A court in Samoa has sentenced a 68-year-old family chief or matai Sa'o to 16 years in jail for rape.
A panel of assessors found Pulemau Sione guilty of the offence which took place in October last year while he was visiting family in Samoa from New Zealand.
In passing sentence the presiding judge said the offence was aggravated by the accused threatening to shoot and kill the victim and removing her family from their home if she told on him.
The magnitude of the breach of trust between the 18-year-old victim and the accused was also seen as an aggravating factor.