1 Jul 2011

Samoan man sentenced to two-years prison for immigration charges

10:06 am on 1 July 2011

A Samoan man has been sentenced to two years in prison for pretending to be an immigration agent and receiving money to have immigration papers processed for his victims to go to New Zealand.

Aleki Mikaele Nikolao of Lotofaga was found guilty of 18 charges of false pretences.

He pleaded with the Court for a light sentence as he did not want to leave his motherless children alone.

Police say people gave Nikalao five to six thousand dollars so he could process their papers to go to New Zealand under the Recognized Seasonal Employment scheme.

But none of the victims received travel documents.

A matai told the court his village had already punished Nikolao in the traditional way by a fine of 100 pigs.

This was used as a mitigating factor in sentencing.