21 Oct 2010

Man receives jail sentence for Samoa bank robbery

10:23 am on 21 October 2010

One of the men charged in Samoa's first armed bank robbery has been convicted and sentenced to six and a half years in jail

Robert Newman Chong Nee, who earlier pleaded not guilty, changed his plea to guilty last month.

His brother, Nazario Chong Nee, pleaded guilty to robbery in July where he was sentenced to six years in jail.

Both brothers were deported from New Zealand where they had previous convictions according to court files.

Another accused, Faiga Victor Tanielu, has denied being involved in the robbery and the Chong Nee brothers will give evidence in support of the prosecution case against Mr Tanielu.

The fourth co-defendant, Shane Chan Tong, who pleaded not guilty, died before his charges were heard.