Samoan beer, money bribes alleged

Press, 26 August 1982, Page 6

Samoan beer, money bribes alleged

NZPA Apia Relatives of the Prime Minister of Samoa. Va’ai Kolone, bribed and treated Apia voters with beer and money in the week before Western Samoa's February elections, it has been alleged in the Supreme Court at Apia. Va’ai Kolone is the respondent in an electoral petition which threatens to cost him his seat in Parliament and overturn the Government.

Evidence was given before Chief Justice Callender of bottles of beer and amounts of money changing hands in a billiards saloon. It was asserted to have been done on behalf of Va’ai Kolone and the money and beer had

gone to voters, in his constituency. One man told the court he received two bottles of beer and eight tala (SNZ9) in the Asau village saloon and was reminded not to forget the election. He returned to the saloon the next day and received five bottles of beer, eight tala, and the same reminder,

Two days later — the Friday before the election' — he was given 10 bottles of beer, two tala, and a further reminder to vote for Va’ai Kolone, he said. A second man said that he had been working on his land on the Tuesday before the election and on the way back to the village was told to go to the billiards saloon. There he was given' two bottles of beer.

He told the Court he tried to give - them back; saying “No. thank you,” but they were pressed on him by a relative of the Prime Minister.