By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 07 July 2025: Thirty-six-year old Lise Marie Schmidt of Lotopa and Safotu has yet to enter a plea to 19 charges lodged by police against her.
She has yet to be formally served the charges but she believes the charges are in line with the original charges which include fabrication of information.
According to the original charges, the police document says Lise is charged with “conspiracy or attempt to defeat or pervert the course of justice by making false allegations and complaint to police.”
The document further stated that the allegations had “placed Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa at risk of being investigated or prosecuted by police.”
The original charges were lodged against Lise on 3 March 2025.
The matter was adjourned to 3 June 2025 by District Court Senior Judge Talasa Atoa Saaga for police to finalise the charges, however, the charges have yet to be finalised and the matter will be recalled this week.
Background to the charges
The charges against Lise followed a letter she wrote and sent to the Attorney General and copied the Minister of Police, Faualo Harry Schuster that implicated Fiame to the death of Dr. Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard.
A copy of the letter was also sent the office of the Head of State.
According to Lise, she was allegedly instructed by Fiame to retrieve evidence said to be connected to the death of Dr. Gabbard.
Lise’s claim was investigated by police that found no concrete evidence to prove the claim hence the charges against her.
Fiame has since distanced herself from the matter telling the media that the police investigation found no proof and she did not want to dwell on the matter.
