25 Jul 2012

Samoa staffers admit theft to trouble boss

2:41 pm on 25 July 2012

Two junior staffers at Samoa's Ministry of Customs and Revenue, charged with the theft of nearly 600,000 US dollars, say they did it get the chief executive into trouble.

The lawyer for Eneliko Tui and Amosa La'autalatala Feausi says the pair stole the money in April to get the CEO, Pitolau Lusia Sefo Leau, in trouble.

He says they were not happy with her performance and wanted to cause problems and attract media attention.

The pair had already entered guilty pleas and will be sentenced on Thursday.

The bulk of the money has been recovered by police.