By Staff Writer
The Australian Federal Police are helping out with ongoing police investigations into the unsolved death of a university student killed in a hit-and-run on the road at Vaitele a few months ago.
The Australian police help involves trying to work on the identity of the white van, in the hopes it will help solve the mystery of the hit and run death.
“We have sought the assistance of the Australian Federal Police through our Samoa Australia partnership to assist with identifying the vehicle of interest,” acting Police Commissioner Papali’i Monalisa Tia’i-Keti updated.
The identity of the white van is not as simple as tracking it down based on its colour, vehicle brand and model, as the police are finding out.
Visits by the police investigation team to families with similar vehicles that fits the description of the suspected van ran into some difficult ownership issues.
“ Based on our records, the number of vehicles with similar descriptions is close to 300 scattered around Upolu and Savaii, “ acting Commissioner Papali’i added.
The investigation is further frustrated by the lack of any community response to the police appeals for information to help with the investigations.
“ We have not had anyone come forward with any information that may lead to the arrest of the driver.”
A team of Chinese forensic pathologists who were in Samoa recently helped out with the investigation as well with a recreation of how the fatal accident may have occurred.
The mystery of the hit and run death fired up controversial public interest with social media allegations that a popular elected Member Parliament is to blame.
The allegations were politically motivated to smear the already elected MP for the Vaitele electoral area.
The situation was further complicated when an opposition MP who lived in the same area was also blamed, for the same hit and run death.
Police investigation remains opened with too many question still left to be answered.