The Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (M.W.T.I.), Afamasaga Su’a Pou Onesemo, has been officially suspended.
This was confirmed by the Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Papali’i Niko Lee Hang, who told the Samoa Observer that the decision was confirmed at a special cabinet meeting held on Monday.
The one month suspension on full pay, according to the minister, is to allow police to carry out their investigation.
Afamasaga strongly rejects allegations of corrupt practices leveled at him by a Malaysian-based Indian company, Ascent Navals, which provides marine technical & administrative support for registered vessels worldwide.
The company used to proivide this service to the Samoa MWTI but had its license revoked recently by the CEO.
The company then wrote to government voicing its grievances and relating incidences where the CEO allegedly asked for money, land and free overseas travel for him and his family.
Attorney General Lemalu Herman Retzlaff referred the matter to the police service which has since launched a criminal investigation.
