By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 19 June 2025 – One of the police witnesses in the high-profile case currently before the District Court, Tupuola Alatanu Wright has denied selling any cows to defendant Samuelu (Sam) Sua.
Central to Tupuolas evidence is Sam’s claim that he bought 6 cows from Tupuola using the money allegedly given to him by former MP Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.
According to Sam’s statement, “Leala gave him $9000 to silence him from telling the police that it was him (Leala) who drove the car suspected to be involved in the unresolved hit and run incident that killed Tu’uau Maletino on 21 April 2021.”
Sam said he gave Tupuola $6000 to buy 6 cows, however, Tupuola denied there was ever any transaction between him and Sam over the sale of any cows.
Claim that Sam begged the witness to lie
Tupuola told the court that Sam had begged him to lie to the police about the cows claimed he sold to Sam.
Prosecutor Taimalelagi Leinafo Strictland asked Tupuola if he knew why Sam wanted him (Tupuola) to lie.
“Se’i kau pupugi ai le tupe mai ia Leala,” responded Tupuola.
Tupuola said Sam then talked about the case which happened while he (Tupuola) was overseas at the time, and he told Sam he could not lie.
“I did not accept Sam’s request to lie about the cows because he did not give me any money for cows,” said Tupuola.
Tupuola also confirmed that he knew Sam since 2015, and he treated him like a brother and son and he also built a house on his land at Malololelei for Sam and his wife Sivai.
Tupuola said when he declined Sam’s request to lie, Sam then threatened his mother and told her about killing Tupuola hence the reason why Tupuola sought a protection order from police.
Tupuola called a “liar” as he contradicts Police Commissioner’s evidence
Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo was the first police witness to take the stand and testified how Tupuola walked into his office asking for assistance regarding a protection order against Sam.
Auapaau said he explained the process of obtaining a protection order to Tupuola then directed him to the Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) responsible for issues orders.
Tupuola however told the court that he never had a chance to talk or meet the Commissioner as Auapaau’s secretary “kicked me out.”
Under cross-examination, defence counsel KC Richard Marchant called Tupuola a “liar” saying that he did meet Auapaau then cooked up a deal to lie about Sam.
He put to Tupuola that Auapaau was happy when he called for help and asked him to come to the office then made a deal.
At the time, Tupuola’s brother Mano Ututau was in prison and Marchant believes, Auapaau helped in releasing Mano and in return, Tupuola would lie about not selling any cows to Sam especially after Sam’s video on Tautai A’e program went viral accusing Auapaau of being corrupt.
Tupuola rejected the claim saying, “not true.”
Tupuola made 5 statements to the police
It was noted in court that Tupuola has made 5 statements to the police and one of the statements talks about a meeting with Fepuleai at Tupuola’s house at Siumu.
When asked about the meeting, Tupuola said Fepuleai wanted to reaffirm Tupuola’s support for Sam’s request to lie about the police. He also said Fepuleai had tried to bribe him with offers.
However, Marchant said Fepuleai will testify that the reason why he went to see Tupuola was to confirm if he had sold any cows to Sam and in Fepuleai’s statement, Tupuola said yes.
Tupuola denied Marchants statement and insisted that Fepuleai asked him to lie and his brother Mano and Tauofe Taaloga Tamua were present at the meeting.
Marchant called Tupuola a liar and pointed to his first statement where there was no mention of Tamua or Mano in it. The only time Tamua’s name is mentioned is in Tupuola’s fourth statement and as for Mano, he was “around somewhere on the same land.”
Marchant again called Tupuola a liar after Tupuola said, “he must have missed to put that in his statement.”
Attempted rape allegations
Sam was accused of threatening Tupuola’s mother and the matter was before the court, however, Tupuola withdrew the complaint.
He told the court on the day of the court hearing; Sam begged him to drop the charge and that he would never come to Siumu again.
Marchant however told Tupuola that the reason why he dropped the charge against Sam was because he did not want the “attempted rape issue to come up.”
According to Marchant, Tupuola tried to force himself upon Sivai and was conscious of his reputation hence the withdrawal of the charge against Sam.
Tupuola countered saying he was leaving for Australia the following day and did not want any court case to delay his departure hence his decision to withdraw the charge.
Marchant then informed Tupuola that Sam and Sivai had lodged a complaint against him on the attempted rape charge.
Tupuola is one of the police witnesses in the conspiracy case against 6 defendants including two former Members of Parliament, a terminated Police Inspector, a couple Sam and Sivai Kepi and Lise Schmidt. The charges relate to the unresolved hit and run incident at Vaitele that killed a university student a few weeks after the April 2021 general elections.
The case continues today running from 9.30am to 8.00pm as the 5 weeks allocated for the trial is almost up and police have called only 10 of 76 witnesses.
