A 20 year old youth appeared on Tuesday morning in the Supreme Court of Samoa, to face charges of murder in relation to an incident at Vailele on Father’s Day weekend, where a father of seven was beaten and later died at Motootua National Hospital.
Naseri Lefia Taugofie also faces charges of manslaughter, grievous bodily harm, actual bodily harm and armed with a dangerous weapon.
The youth appeared unrepresented and Justice Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma ordered the Registrar of the Court to arrange legal aid for the 20 year old, “due to the seriousness of the charges he is facing”.
Naseri was taken back into custody to await his legal aid Counselor, and is set to reappear later this month.
The defendant is suspected to have killed a 43 year old father in Vailele on Father’s Day weekend. The deceased was allegedly assaulted with a 2×6 piece of timber.
The wife of the deceased told Samoa Global News her husband was assaulted while sleeping at the fale tele of their home. He had an altercation with the young men earlier in the night, and her husband had beaten one of the youth.
Tuitamai “Niko” Nikolao Moegalupe passed away at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital a few days after the incident. Medical staff say he suffered from critical head injuries after the attack.
His devastated wife told Samoa Global News her children have been left fatherless.
“I will have to be brave and continue to look after them, just as he did when he was alive”.
She says her husband will undergo a postmortem examination to support the evidence in Court, because she still wants justice for what has happened.
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