Samoa’s opposition leader Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi claims the government has neglected two Apia men looking at execution in Vietnam for the murder of a Sydney gang boss.
However, the government released a statement on Wednesday regarding the two men in Vietnam, saying it “has taken active steps through its international partners and diplomatic channels” concerning the pair.
Samoan nationals in Vietnam are ‘neglected’ – opposition leader
Pacific Waves
Joseph Vaa, 27, and Steve Tofa, 23, admitted gunning down suspected Coconut Cartel leader Lorenzo Lemalu Tovia in Ho Chi Minh City a month ago.
The two Samoans read confessions from custody last month, handcuffed and bolted down in chairs, after Tovia died at the scene and his associate, Sauni Sam, was seriously injured.
Sydney gangster Lorenzo Lemalu Tovia was shot dead outside a restaurant on 21 May.
Screengrab / 7NEWS Sydney
Samoan Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt has said little following the highly – publicised shooting outside a restaurant on 21 May.
La’auli previously described the case as “heartbreaking” but quickly shifted the blame to international drug cartels, accusing them of luring the country’s youth with big money.
Tuilaepa, who served as Samoa’s sixth prime minister between 1998 and 2021, said the government should have acted immediately to assist the pair.
“It’s usual for leaders to contact the country where Samoans are in trouble and to ask for consideration of having the citizen tried in Samoa, under Samoan laws,” he said.
Tuilaepa, the head of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), said he raised the idea of securing legal aid for the two in parliament.
“They (the ruling Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi or FAST party) quickly shut us down, with the help of their speaker. If he (the prime minister) does not talk about it, or even raise it, it means that he’s not interested,” Tuilaepa said.
The opposition leader said his main concern is that the two get a fair trial in Vietnam.
“With any crime committed overseas by Samoans, the concern here is that a Samoan citizen might not be given proper legal help,” he said.
While prime minister, he said there were five international criminal cases he was alerted to that involved Samoan nationals.
“We sent out requests on a government to government level and in all these cases the recipient government accepted our proposal and the gentlemen affected were released for trial in Samoa.”
Another case, he said, involved two Samoans accused of murdering a Filipino sailor in Australia.
“Two Samoans working on ships, together with a Filipino, were involved in a fist fight when the ship called into Sydney. As a result the Filipino sailor died. And we requested assistance from the government of Australia, which they duly responded and provided legal assistance to help with the case,” he said.
Tuilaepa however admitted that the government had limited powers to extradite Samoans if foreign countries refused to release them.
“We do not have an extradition treaty with many of these countries, especially when they are dictatorships or leaning towards communism,” he said.
Samoa’s opposition leader Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi
Facebook / HRPP
RNZ Pacific’s Apia correspondent Galumalemana Tipi Autagavaia said Samoans have been calling for the government to act, via social media.
“They’re saying that it’s a matter for the government now to deal with on an international level. To see if there’s any opportunity for the men to have legal representation from Samoa, or for them to be interviewed by the police here.”
“The government has been silent, especially the prime minister, who is the Foreign Affairs Minister. I think because the prime minister is also the Police Minister, he is getting advice from the Police Commissioner and all the people involved in the investigation over when is the right time to go public about this,” he said.
The Samoan diaspora has largely been sympathetic towards Vaa and Tofa, according to Galumalemana.
“Well some people are talking very negatively about them but most people on social media have a lot of sympathy for them. It’s the first case of its kind involving a very serious crime, with Samoans flying out of the country, doing something like this,” he said.
Former prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa declined to comment on the matter.
Samoan Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt
RNZ Pacific/ Tipi Autagavaia
‘Government has taken active steps’
A month on, the Samoan government finally released a statement on Wednesday, saying it is looking into the welfare of the pair.
“The Government has taken active steps through its international partners and diplomatic channels to facilitate contact and cooperation between the relevant authorities in Samoa and their counterparts in Vietnam,” the statement said.
“These efforts are aimed at supporting mutual cooperation in investigations being undertaken in both countries and ensuring that the appropriate information-sharing processes are available through official channels.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had sought information on the welfare of the two Samoan nationals and would facilitate communication where possible.
“As investigations remain ongoing and official engagement with Vietnamese authorities is continuing, it would be inappropriate to comment further on the case,” the statement said.
