The Faleata No. 3 MP, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, will now be able to travel to New Zealand to see a sick grandchild after the District Court lifted a stop order against him.
Samoa Observer reports the order was the result of a private prosecution criminal case relating to allegations of bribery against Lealailepule, which were filed in the District Court last Friday.
The suspended MP is also accused of bribery in an election petition case that is now before the Supreme Court.
His lawyer applied to the Court for the MP to leave the jurisdiction, but was told a DPO had been issued against the suspended member.
However, a day after the order was issued, Senior District Court Judge Talasa Atoa-Sa’aga lifted the order after considering the reasons behind Lealailepule’s trip to New Zealand.
Lealailepule went on social media last evening to thank family and supporters.
He said he was relieved and grateful that he can now finally go and see his children in New Zealand.
“We were planning for this trip for a very long time, long before these allegations of bribery against me came up,” he said.
He acknowledged the support and prayers of his family, his party and their supporters, and reiterated that he had no intention of running away from the criminal charges filed against him.
