18 Feb 2009

Two convicted former government ministers in Samoa not eligible for parole

12:02 pm on 18 February 2009

In Samoa, the two former government ministers serving a life sentence for plotting to kill another government minister eight years ago are not eligible for parole.

The CEO of the Ministry of Justice and Courts administration, Masinalupe Tusipa, says Toi Aukuso Cain and Le'afa Vitale have yet to be considered by the Prison Parole Board because they must serve ten years of their life sentence.

However he says the pair will not be automatically selected for parole because it's the decision of the Ministry of Police and Prisons on who should be eligible before the parole board decides.

The former ministers were sentenced to death and later commuted to life in prison.

The chief executive of the ministry of justice was responding to a call

by opposition MP, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, for the government to release the former politicians because of their health concerns.