A Samoa Global News Reporter was assaulted and verbally abused outside the Supreme Court on Monday by one of the defendants of the Faleatiu kidnapping of a woman tied to a steel pole.
Six defendants charged in relation to the disturbing video on social media assaulting a woman who had been married into their family, appeared in Court on Monday morning.
The Court list on Monday named the six Faleatiu defendants as four women and two men. The woman being – Luulau Faisauvale, 61, Malaea Tanu, 21, Pau Kaio, 26, and Luulau Lealofi Palau Faisauvale, 39, all of Faleatiu.
They all pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, grievous bodily harm, assault, and armed with a dangerous weapon.
Outside Court three women covered their faces while one woman verbally abused a young Samoa Global News reporter.
“It was frightening..” said 25 year old Grace Pouoa. “The woman was very aggressive.. she walked up to me and yelled at me to delete her photo..”
“She said I had no right to take her photo.. and that she didn’t give her consent.. then she stood over me and told me to delete my photos while she was watching..”
“Vaai kape uma au aka ga e pu’e ehh, e leai ma sau feau e ke puea ai lo’u aka.. e leai ma se faakagaga ua ou avakua ia ke oe e pue ai lo’u aka…”
“Kape gei lava au aka ga, ae ou ke lei avea oe i leoleo.. Kape loa magu o lea ou ke vaai aku..”
Ms Pouoa said the Police were on the other side of the foyer and could not hear what was going on.
“I was scared because the other one wearing a black dress started taking photos of me..”
Grace Pouoa said a senior reporter from TV1 came to her rescue and exchanged words with her attacker.
Ms Grace Pouoa is the author of SGN’s original article dated 12 November 2025 about the Faleatiu attack – an article which was widely shared on social media with over eight thousand reads on the SGN website.
Ms Pouoa said she noticed the woman staring at her inside the courtroom, and then she walked up to her and warned her against taking her photo.
“Aua gei e puea so’u aka e leai sau feau e pu’e ai lo’u aka ou ke lē faakagā oe e pu’e lo’u aka!” she said with her finger in my face and her eyes popping out at me.
“Then outside Court while I was standing taking photos, she walked past me and suddenly swung her hand and slapped my camera, almost hitting me in the face..
“I was shocked. I was shaking, and I didn’t know how to react.”
Ms Pouoa said she was very grateful for Ms Deidre Tautua Faanene of TV1 who came to her rescue and exchanged words with the Faleatiu defendant.
“There were a lot of senior reporters there but Deidre was the only one who walked over when she heard the woman yelling at me..”
“I felt safe when Deidre came over and defended me and told the lady to move on, that I was just doing my job.”
Ms Pouoa will be pressing charges in relation to the attack.
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