15 March 2019, Mulinuu Apia. A man charged with one count of indecent assault and one count of sexual connection against his own daughter has been found guilty of both charges.
The verdict was delivered by Supreme Court Justice Mata Keli Tuatagaloa this afternoon.
He was also ordered to be remanded in custody until the day of his sentencing.
A suppression order was issued to protect the identity of the victim which included the defendant because of his close relationship to the victim.
In handing down her verdict Justice Tuatagaloa told the defendant that the Court does not accept his testimony during the one day hearing.
The accused had represented himself in Court earlier in the week, and had cross-examined his daughter, accusing her of lying under oath.
Justice Tuatagaloa said the defendant tried to put the blame on others, even his own son and accused his wife of being mentally unstable saying “e leaga le ulu.”
“Ana o oe ose tama alofa e pei o lau molimau na faimai ete le tautala i mea na e te puipui, ae na iloa lava i lau molimau na tuuina mai lou taumafai e tuuaina le sese i le isi tagata;
“E oo lava i le tou aiga le tina o le teineititi sa e faimai e leaga le ulu ae e lē leaga le ulu o le tina o lea na kilia mai lava le molimau a le tina i le aso lea.”
Justuce Tuatagaloa questioned the defendant on why he didnt give the phone to his daughter from the morning until the evening and yet he would go to his daughter’s bedside and wake her up after 2am to give her the phone.
Justice Tuatagaloa also added, during the defendant’s wife’s testimony she told the court she had asked him why he didn’t wake her up to give her the phone.
Justice Tuatagaloa ordered a probation report and victim’s impact report and adjourned the matter to next week Thursday for sentencing.
Below, Justice Tuatagaloa’s words in Samoan for our Samoan readers.
“Sa taua foi mai isi po e ui lava e lei faia ni uiga faalesolitulafono ao isi po lea e faapea e te alu atu ai i le vaveao, i le mea lea sa moe ai lou afafine.
“Ma ala ane ai le teinei ma fesili atu poo a au mea ia e fai ii ae o lau tali na e alu atu e avatu le telefoni e faalua po na e alu ane ai e ave le telefoni i le teineititi lea i le tea o le 2 I le vaveao.
“Lea foi na ala le tina o le teineititi ma molimau foi e iai po e ala ane ai o loo e saofai i autafa o le mea lea e moe ai le teineititi ma fesili atu ia oe poo a aumea lae fai I o ae e fai iai na e alu atu e vatu le telefoni I le teineititi I le taimi lea.
“Ete alu faapea i se vaveao e ave se telefoni i sou afafine, ae o le tala a le tou aiga poo le a le mea e te alu atu ai ave le telefoni i le teineititi ae le vatua ia ia.
“Lona lua o le fesili a le faamasinoga i mea ia mai le aso atoa poo le a le mea e te le alu ai ave le telefoni i le teineititi poo le afiafi ae lei oo le taimi e momoe ai ao lea e te alu faavaveao e ave le telefoni ai.”
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