21 Dec 2006

UN employee withdraws assault charge against Samoan MP

10:27 am on 21 December 2006

A UN woman employee in Samoa has withdrawn her complaint of alleged assault against independent MP, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.

The case was heard in the District court yesterday where a letter of withdrawal from the complainant, Lupe Peteru, was presented to the court by the prosecution.

Addressed to the Minister of Police, Toleafoa Apulu Fa'afisi, the letter simply asked for the matter to be dropped.

The district court Judge, Vaepule Vaemoa Va'ai, accepted the letter.

Meanwhile the Supreme Court will today deliver a verdict on one count of theft as a servant against the MP who was the former chief executive officer of the government's Airport Authority.

Lealailepule was charged following an investigation into missing funds of about 16 thousand US Dollars at the airport authority back in 2003.