A senior Samoan Cabinet Minister was yesterday arrested and charged with obtaining $ST136,400 by deception.
The minister’s wife was also charged with obtaining $ST 140,000 by deception.
The Samoa Observer reporta this morning that a business partner of the Minister was also arrested and charged.
Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Sala’a Moananu Sala’a, did not disclose the identity of those charged.
He said the Minister and his wife are charged with obtaining by deception while the business partner is charged with obtaining a forged document and does not involve cash.
Each of the charges against the minister and his wife carry a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment if convicted.
The charges follow a review by the Attorney General’s Office of an extensive police file which had been handed to them last May.
Attorney General Lemalu Herman Retzlaff said then that the file already had recommended charges against individuals with a request for a review and advice regarding the proposed charges.
It is not known when the file was handed back to police who have the authority to arrest and charge individuals.
All three individuals charged have been remanded at large and will appear in the Supreme Court, September 18, 2017.
