Samoa Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi has allayed fears that he may interfere with the course of the law in his capacity as Minister of Police.
Talamua Media report that, responding to media questions at his first press conference a few hours after being sworn in as Prime Minister, he said, “Let the court take its course.”
Repeating his previous stance claiming his innocence in the police charges against him, he stated, “The matters are now in the arms of the court, and whatever decision the court will deliver is what the government will follow.”
Laauli had been critical of the police performance in investigating the unresolved hit-and-run case at Vaitele in 2021, and was charged for interfering with the course of justice after launching an investigation into the incident that identified several witnesses.
The full hearing of that case was completed in May and had been adjourned to October for lawyers’ final submissions.
The court has yet to decide on his lawyer’s application for a “no case to answer,” after senior police officers including the Commissioner gave evidence, and when the police main witness turned hostile and changed her statement.
