A date for the hearing of the man accused of murdering the former Unit Trust of Samoa (U.T.O.S.) Chief Executive Officer, Sa’u Justina Sa’u, has been set. 

Her husband, Kolani Junior Lam, will be trialed before a Judge sitting with a panel of assessors on 17 June 2019. 

The hearing date was set by the Supreme Court yesterday when Lam appeared with his lawyer, Leiataualesa Komisi Koria. 

He pleaded not guilty to murder with alternative manslaughter charge, assault and conspiring to defeat justice. 

Lam will also stand in a separate trial on the charges of common assault against the daughter of Sa’u and possession or narcotics. 

The date for these charges is not known.

Last week Supreme Court Judge, Justice Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala – Warren, denied an application from Lam to be trialed by a Judge alone. 

She also made an order to prohibit publication of her ruling except for the result. 

In delivering her decision, Tafaoimalo also ruled in favour of accepting an application from prosecution for evidence to be admitted on the basis that it is propensity evidence. 

“On the propensity evidence application of the previous alleged assault of the deceased by the accused, I make the order that that evidence is admissible as relevant background evidence of the relationship between the accused and the deceased."