19 Jan 2017

Samoa politician takes legal action over nonu juice business

11:18 am on 19 January 2017

A director of a nonu juice company in Samoa who is the Associate Minister of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Peseta Vaifou Tevaga, has gone to court for alleged dishonesty.

Peseta Vaifou Tevaga

Samoa government MP and associate minister Peseta Vaifou Tevaga Photo: RNZI correspondent

Peseta has accused an appointed interim manager and other two company directors, including a government minister, of dishonesty over a bank deposit.

His lawyer has alleged that payments for the sale of nonu juice in May and October last year had not been deposited to the company's account.

The lawyer said the payments in thousands of US dollars was kept in separate bank account for Samoa Delights, a different company under the names of the two directors, including the government minister.

The lawyer has also alleged that some of the company's monies had been cashed under the name of a person who is not a shareholder.

The respondent's lawyer rejected the allegations.

But Peseta's lawyer has told the court a substantial civil case hearing should be held to hear the full evidence to prove the plaintiff's allegations.

Last year, Peseta was found not guilty of fraud and forgery charges brought against him by other company directors as a result of the same internal dispute.

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