16 Jul 2019

Number of charges against Samoa politician dropped

1:27 pm on 16 July 2019

Dozens of charges against a senior member of the Samoa parliament and his associates have been dropped.

Symbol of law and justice in the empty courtroom, law and justice concept, court

Photo: ikiryo/123RF

La'aulialemalietoa Leauatea Polataivao, his wife Heather Schmidt, and three business associates have been charged in relation to their running of a nonu company.

They relate to deposits made by unidentified sources into the company's bank account.

Initially, the group had faced 234 charges, which they all pleaded not guilty to.

The Samoa Observer reported that in court yesterday, the prosecution amended the charges down to 105, of which La'aulialemalietoa faces 49.