Samoa’s opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi claims government plans to investigate him and two senior members of parliament for treason and defamation have stalled due to a lack of evidence.
The ruling Faatuatua i le Atu Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party has appointed a parliamentary committee to scrutinise the conduct of the Tuilaepa, who is the Human Rights Protection Party’s (HRPP) leader, his deputy Fonotoe Lauofo Pierre Meredith and the secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.
A spokesperson at Samoa’s Legislative Assembly told RNZ Pacific that the inquiry was due to begin on Monday, however Tuilaepa said it was deferred.
“A lot of these accusations are all bullshit,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa (Laauli) Leuatea Schmidt was the one “pushing” the investigation.
“Now we’ll just wait … the prime minister has been too fast in making accusations without proof,” he said.
The government’s press secretariat declined to answer questions posed by RNZ Pacific.
Tuilaepa claims that during a recent meeting there was a reference made to 100 instances where they think that what the three said impacted on the good name of the prime minister and the current administration.
He said that when asked for the proof behind the accusations, the meeting was postponed.
“That is why when the prime minister tried to get the previous Attorney-General (Sua Hellene Wallwork) to lay the accusations against us she told them it was a waste of time and would be an embarrassment to the government,” he claimed.
Laauli has repeatedly claimed that the three senior MPs made defamatory statements about the government and engaged in “treasonous” conduct following the general election in 2021.
Samoa was plunged into an unprecedented constitutional and political crisis after the FAST won the election five years ago.
FAST sought to form a government, but Tuilaepa, who had been the prime minister since 1998, appeared unwilling at the time to let go of power.
According to statements made in parliament, the latest allegations relate to public accusations against the FAST-led government and continued attacks against the prime minister and the cabinet via the media, parliamentary exchanges and social media.
Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa (Laauli) Leuatea Schmidt
Sāmoa Government Facebook.
Laauli reportedly told parliament there were more than 200 pieces of evidence to support the allegations, including media reports and public statements.
“The government is headed by a prime minister who is trying all kinds of baseless accusations to get us into trouble,” he said.
“We have explained the current situation to the people, so it does not look good for the government.”
The inquiry reportedly stemmed from a motion moved by Laauli during parliament’s April sitting, when numerous allegations and supporting documents were submitted to the speaker Mulipola Aloitalua Mulipola for a ruling.
Mulipola has declined to answer a series of questions from RNZ Pacific about the inquiry.
Tuilaepa said attempts by the opposition to get written confirmation from Mulipola outlining the allegations and the terms of reference had failed.
“We don’t really know if the allegations relate to (the political impasse), we keep referring to the lies that have been told ever since that time, and that has irritated the PM,” he said.
“I think at the time [of the 2021 general election] it did not seem to matter, but it matters now that he is PM.”
During parliamentary debate earlier this year, Tuilaepa allegedly accused Laauli of lying, while Lealailepule had allegedly warned the prime minister that his term in the top job would be “short-lived”.
The parliamentary committee has been given eight terms of reference, which include examining whether they three breached parliamentary privilege and legal protections; assessing whether there was any conduct unbecoming of an MP; and reviewing how laws dating back to 1960 apply, involving parliamentary powers and privileges.
It will also determine the impact of the alleged conduct on parliamentary standards, investigate whether any laws or standing orders were breached and consider the consequences for any MP found to have breached parliamentary rules or protections.
The committee is expected to make recommendations on how Parliament should respond and has until 20 October to submit its report.
Deputy speaker Afamasaga Leone Mati Masame is chairing the committee, with opposition MP Faumuina Opapo Oeti acting as the deputy chair.
