The admission by Lise Schmidt, relative and chief spokesperson of Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, to misleading the police and attempting to pervert the course of justice is making national and regional headlines.
Ms. Schmidt admitted to the Courts that a letter she wrote to the Head of State and the Police, accusing former Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa of murdering Professor Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard, was a lie.
The nation awaits the Court decision that will be delivered in March 2027.
Fiame subsequently lost the prime ministership following the 2025 General Elections.
There are serious consequences to spreading falsehoods and lies.
The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) lost the 2021 General Elections, because of the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party’s widely publicised baseless allegations that we had sold customary lands to the Chinese, and that I had stolen public funds to purchase properties overseas.
Many people believed these accusations that spread like wildfire on social media, despite my many public interventions, stating that all these allegations were unfounded.
Many times, HRPP members have tried to stand up for the truth but have been shouted down, ridiculed, and even detained by the Police.
Now that Laauli has sued me for defamation, I will have the opportunity to clear my name, and to restore the good name of our Party, my family, and our district.
Lise Schmidt’s admission further exposes the numerous instances of the abuse of power by the current administration and blatant disregard for the rule of law.
The scripture has warned that “on the day of judgement, people will give account for every careless word they speak.”
You can run but you cannot hide.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP