By Staff Writer
Samoan hotelier and lawyer, Mr. Jerry Brunt, is being prevented from returning to Samoa in the Solomon Islands and the matter is being handled at the Govt-Govt level.
Brunt was head judge of the Miss Pacific Island beauty pageant hosted by the Solomon Is.
Miss Samoa Litara Ieremia Alan was crowned the winner but supporters of Miss Tonga went on social media to claim the final results were tampered with.
Head judge Brunt is accused of being directly involved but has vehemently denied the allegations.
Newsline Samoa Online reached out by email to Brunt for an exclusive interview on the controversial fallout but received this reply from him :
“Uso i am still in the Solomon Island…Solomon Govt has put a stop order against me from leaving the country.
I am waiting for reasons and grounds of stop order.
I believe it is now at a Govt to Govt level and our Govt is working to have me safely back to Samoa.
The Tongan Judge made all this noise and then ran away from the Solomon Island.”
More coverage of the controversy follows.