Father and daughter plead guilty to incest

By Deidre Tautua – Fanene 12 March 2018, 12:00AM

A father and daughter pleaded guilty to the charge of incest in the Supreme Court yesterday.

Tevaga Fa’amanu, 58, and his daughter, Fa’asiliga Fa’amanu, 35, of Samalaeulu, Savai’i, appeared before Supreme Court Justice, Lei’ataualesa Daryl Clarke.

Tevaga was represented by lawyer, Diana Roma, while Maiava Visekota Peteru represented Fa’asiliga Fa’amanu.

The Prosecutor was lawyer, Fuifui Ioane, of the Attorney General’s office.

“The Court has noted down your guilty pleas through your counsels this morning (yesterday),” Justice Lei’ataualesa told the defendants.

“Therefore this matter is adjourned to 26 March, 2018, at 12:30pm for sentencing and also for pre-sentence report.”

On 29 January 2018, when the matter was first called during criminal mention before Chief Justice Patu Tiava’asu’e Falefatu Sapolu, it was reported that the defendants were brother and sister.

 Yesterday, Ms. Ioane corrected this. She said the defendants were in fact a father and his biological daughter.

In Court, Tevaga said they have been banned from their village in Savai’i and at the time they were in custody.

Chief Justice Patu granted bail for them at the time.

They were ordered to reside at Vaivase-uta and surrender all their travel documents.

They were also told sign in at the Apia Police Station as part of their bail conditions.

For Fa’asiliga, she was ordered to sign in at the Apia Police Station every Tuesdays and Thursdays before midday.

Her father was ordered to sign in every Mondays and Wednesdays.

Chief Justice Patu at the time also told them to live separately.

 “I know you will both reside at Vaivase-uta, but you must live separately from each other,” he told the defendants.

“You must not stay together otherwise the Police will detain you again, and you will be held in custody until the Court comes up with a decision.”

The matter was reported to the Police on 16 January 2018, by a village member.

By Deidre Tautua – Fanene 12 March 2018, 12:00AM
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