12 Jan 2011

Samoa seeks Australian help in locating body

2:05 pm on 12 January 2011

The police in Samoa are waiting for the arrival of a detector machine from Australia's federal police to help locate the burial site of the body of a young girl suspected to have been murdered by her stepfather six years ago in the village of Ti'avea Tai.

The assistant police commissioner, Leaupepe Fatu Pula, says police have asked for the assistance from Australia because the victim's parents are not cooperating with the police trying to locate the burial site on the family land.

The stepfather is in custody awaiting a separate trial for the alleged rape of one of his daughters.

The Samoa Victim Support group says it is looking after seven of the couple's children.