By Staff Writer
The Saleapaga village ‘pulenu’u’ admitted in court today that he ‘was in the dark’ when he signed to confirm ‘monotaga’ for one of the candidate’s running in the general elections.
The admission came on the second and final day of hearing on the petition by election candidate Faletagoai Tausaga for the Lepa Electoral Constituency.
The petition was to disqualify Tuula Kiliri Lafi Tuitui from running in the general elections for not contributing ‘monotaga’.
Both are running against the Prime Minister.
Faletagoai and several other prominent chiefs of Saleapaga village vehemently denied on the first day of hearing on Wednesday that Tuula contributed any ‘monotaga’ to the village or to the constituency.
Legal counsel for Tuula argued that he did contribute to the village on several occasions but was strongly denied.
“Tuula has only made three donations inside three years that included a couple of chicken boxes, some cement bags for our village school building that’s under construction and a few other small things,” one of the Saleapaga chiefs testified.
Tuula legal counsel insisted that he did contribute not just in food and materials but money and that should be counted as ‘monotaga’.
“No that is not a ‘monotaga’ but a donation which is different from what true ‘monotaga’ means,” the village chiefs responded.
“Monotaga’ also includes attending village council meetings and giving his share of what every family is required to provide as directed through out the year.
“Tuula rarely appears in the village he spends most of his time with his family’ wife at Vaimoso.”
The court also heard from testimonies that the candidate’s uncle on his mother’s side is the current ‘pulenu’u’ for Saleapaga village.
He is also banished from the village in a decision by the chiefs that has been in place for the last three years.
The chiefs who testified told the court that they agree with the rights by Tuula to run as a general elections candidate but he has not made any ‘monotaga’ to the village.
An earlier attempt by the candidate to run in the 2016 general elections was unsuccessful for eligibility reasons also.
