Challenging case in court

APIA – In Samoa, a trial has begun in which four people – including a church minister’s wife, a senior police officer, and the President of the Samoa Victim Support group – are accused of attempting to defeat the course of justice.

Inspector Sala’a Salale, Elaine Ulia, Siliniu Lina Chang and Tumua Tofete face five charges of attempting to defeat the course of justice in a 2013 case of a women who alleged she was indecently assaulted by the minister’s wife.

The woman testified on Monday that she had sought help from the Samoa Victim Support Group in 2012 because of the alleged indecent assault on her by the wife of a church minister in her village.

The witness said that after filing a complaint, the police charged the minister’s wife with one count of assault and one of indecent assault.

However, the case was withdrawn and dismissed before it was able to reach the district court back in July 2013.

The witness told the court that during her stay in the care of the Samoa Victim Support Group she was asked in a meeting called by the group’s president, Lina Chang, to withdraw her complaint, suggesting she had made wrong allegations.

She said she was shocked to find the president victimising her after three months of living in one of her organisation’s shelters.

The prosecution has nine witnesses including the parents of the alleged victim. - RNZI