20 Sep 2016

UK couple lose appeal in Samoa

5:50 pm on 20 September 2016

Samoa's Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction of a British couple found guilty of obtaining money by deception.

The three year jail sentence for Nicolas Gianno and 15 months for Rosita Stanfield has been upheld with the court dismissing an appeal against conviction by the defendants.

Nicolas Gianno and Rosita Stanfield have been sentenced to jail in Samoa but are appealing.

Nicolas Gianno and Rosita Stanfield have been sentenced to jail in Samoa but are appealing. Photo: RNZI/Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia

Both had been been jointly charged with obtaining money by deception.

The pair arrived in Samoa in May last year and started an investment scheme.

Six people, including some prominent business operators, had given them money on a promise of a 1000 percent gain on their investments.

But the police got involved in an investigation with the Central Bank of Samoa and several local commercial banks which led to criminal charges being laid against the pair.

They had sought to leave the country to visit their families before the appeal hearing but the Chief Justice, Patu Falefatu Sapolu, denied this, fearing they would not return.