The Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa Civil Society Support Programme, Vaitoa Toelupe, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of possession of utensil before the Supreme Court yesterday. 

The C.E.O. appeared before Justice Vui Clarence Nelson during criminal mention. 

Lawyer Alex Su’a represented Toelupe and another co-defendant identified as Hitler Nauer. 

Lucy Sio and Iliganoa Atoa are the prosecutors for the National Prosecution Office. 

Mr. Nauer was not in Court yesterday but Mr. Su’a informed Justice Vui that the co-defendant entered a not guilty plea to the same charge. Justice Vui then issued a warrant of arrest for Nauer’s failure to appear in Court. 

He then adjourned the matter for hearing on 26th June 2017. 

Toelupe is on bail on conditions to sign at the Apia police station every Friday. 

His traveling documents have also been surrendered. 

The charge arose from a Police operation at one of the hotels in Apia this year where the defendants were allegedly found with drug-related utensils.