By Staff Writer
The next few days may turn politically explosive if there is any truth to alleged plans to arrest the HRPP opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
HRPP caucus members are in a big huff at learning from several close sources including social media that their leader is at risk of being legally arrested before the week ends.
The legal action reportedly involves inflammatory remarks by Tuilaepa to party supporters in Savai’i about two years ago.
This was when proFAST Government village supporters blocked the road at Salelologa village to stop an HRPP election promotional convoy traveling around the island.
Tuilaepa is aware of the alleged plans and so too are his legal counsels when asked by Newsline Samoa Online for confirmation of the impending arrest reported.
Attempts by this media for police confirmation of any imminent arrest warrant taken out on the opposition leader were unsuccessful yesterday.
The alleged legal threat comes as the deadline looms before the end of the week, for the Minister of Agriculture and FAST party leader, La’auli Polataivao Fosi, to make a public retraction and apology to Tuilaepa.
La’auli accused Tuilaepa of taking millions of tala unaccounted for during his long tenure of more than 20 years in office as Prime Minister.
He also alleged that Tuilaepa’s children were given preferential treatment when they were offered educational scholarships for overseas studies.
The defamatory comments were made during a televised interview on the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, EFKS TV.
The former opposition leader has already served legal notice for the Minister to retract his statements and to apologise or the matter will proceed to court.
“I don’t know if that has anything to do with me being arrested but if it is then I am disappointed,” Tuilaepa reacted when asked by Newsline Samoa Online.
“If Laauli can prove all that he has said about me then taking the matter to court will be his best chance to prove that he is speaking the truth,” he challenged.
The FAST Government early intenmtions to bring in forensic auditors to go over the Government accounts during Tuilaepa’s administration have yet to happen.
Tuilaepa welcomes the auditing exercise and has recently made repeated public enquiries on why none has been carried out and why the delay.
Newsline Samoa Online intends to follow up as soon as possible any confirmation of a pending police arrest of Tuilaepa and on what charges.