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One arrested over Fagaloa house burning — police expect more to be charged

What is left of a family home that was burnt to the ground as
Source: Talamua Online

Apia, SAMOA — Police have arrested one person over the burning of family houses and other properties at Taelefaga village at the Fagaloa Bay last Thursday night.

Police confirmed the arrest this week and said that more people are expected to be charged over the incident.

The Incident

The properties destroyed belong to Fialele Semau Amataga and his family.

According to a village matai, the Village Council had since met and launched their own investigation to find who was behind the incident.

A member of Fialele’s family told Talamua that the incident started when they were making preparations last week to bury Fialele’s wife on the family property in the village.

The family member said Fialele had been banished from the village for some time and had been living overseas with his family. When his wife died, Fialele brought her back to be buried at his village of Taelefaga but this did not sit well with some of his relatives.

The relative said the village opposed Fialele’s return to the village as he was still banished. Fialele then sought assistance from the Lands and Titles Court and the Court invited all the parties including the Village Council to mediation.

A Court Registrar confirmed that a letter inviting the Village Council to mediation was sent twice to the Alii ma Faipule. However, only Fialele’s side turned up, hence the decision through a letter to the village, not to interfere with the family’s preparation for the funeral.

Since the fire, the family are staying at a hotel in Apia where they are making the funeral plans and travel to Taelefaga to oversee the funeral preparations.

Read more at Talamua Online