Ads by Google Ads by Google

Samoa Health Ministry hears allegations of prostitution

Allegations of another prostitution ring ongoing at the Ministry of Health compound in Moto’outa, Samoa have been addressed by Samoa Health officials.

Samoa Observer reports that the Health Ministry has met with officials of the Shanghai Construction Company, the Chinese company building one of the wings of the hospital, about the reports. It’s alleged that it’s the Chinese construction workers from the company who are paying money to have sex with local women.

Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Health, Palanitina Tupuimatagi Toelupe told Samoa Observer that the Managers of Shanghai Company “did not know about these incidents. Samoa Observer reports that Toelupe had discussed the matter with the Shanghai Company and the company assured Toelupe they would deal with it.

Samoa Observer reports that the alleged operation at Moto’otua surfaced several weeks ago in a letter to the Samoa Observer highlighting events between “Samoan ladies and Chinese workers” working on the new National Hospital wing.

The letter said Chinese workers used an “abandoned house” to meet young Samoan women in the evenings. When the Samoa Observer checked it out over a couple of nights, it seemed that the operation was not the best-kept secret in the area.

Many security guards in the area were aware of what was happening. The Samoa Observer discovered that the “abandoned house” was in fact an open Samoan fale with nothing in the way of furniture except for a single chair.

The Samoa Observer found that the chair was used by a large Samoan lady who behaved like a madam, accepting monies from Chinese males.

A security guard, who did not want to be named, told the Samoa Observer that it has been happening for a long time. Mrs. Toelupe said it is mindboggling to figure out how anything could be done without anyone noticing.

She said the curfew for all Shanghai workers is eight o’clock in the evening then they return to their housing and the gates are closed.

“Even our night guards say that they have seen nothing happening at the fale during the two hours the workers are given free time,” she said.

“The reports by our night guards make no mention of these practices being done in this particular fale. “Once a property is fenced off for construction, it becomes the property of the construction company. We put our faith and understanding in them that these incidents would not happen.”

Mrs. Toelupe said Shanghai workers have been given a stern warning that anyone caught engaging in these illegal practices would immediately be sent back to China.

“Our night watchmen have been advised to continue to watch all MOH properties and to make sure that these incidents do not happen again,” she said.

In the meantime another prostitution case is before the court where a couple in Samoa are facing 13 criminal charges in connection with prostitution. Metala James 34, and Sanele Sanele 30, are accused of running a prostitution operation involving five young girls.

The couple vehemently denied the allegations against them during a hearing last week before District Court Judge Mata Tuatagaloa. Samoa Observer reports the girls told the court that they were forced into having sex with men for as little as $20 a session.

It was alleged that in one session, one of the girls had sex with three Chinese men for $50. The case of Metala and Sanele is pending in the court. In the meantime Samoa Assistant Police Commissioner Leaupepe Fatu Pula told Samoa News the Samoa police are continuing their investigation into this matter. He said the police are doing regular patrols in the area.