“The young children of this nation must be free from people who prey on them unsuspectingly”.
So said Judge Talasa Atoa Saaga of the Samoa District Court as she sent a church minister to prison for five months after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a 14 year old girl from Palauli, Savaii.
Samoa Observer reports Niuti Tuaoimaalii Auvae of Fagalii and Tufulele had pleaded not guilty to the charge stemming from an incident that happened in May 2017 while he was a minister at an unidentified congregation in Savaii.
“You are a servant of God who is called to minister to the people yet your actions belie your calling,” she said.
“It brings the work of ministers into disrepute. You have continued to deny that you had committed the offence for which you have been found guilty and have expressed no remorse for your actions.’’
Auvae had petitioned the Court for a non-custodial sentence and to consider the inconvenience, embarrassment, humiliation the allegations against him had caused.
In a pre-sentence report, Auvae stated he did not want to make amends and maintained that he did not break the law.
However, Judge Sa’aga made it clear that Auvae should be held accountable and a custodial sentence will deter such offence against young children.
