The body of the late Member of Parliament, Vaafusuaga Toleafoa Ken Poutoa, has been brought back to the country.

The Samoa Observer understands that the body of the late M.P. was flown in last Friday afternoon on one of the weekly flights from New Zealand accompanied by his wife, who is now undergoing mandatory quarantine.

Family members of the late politician as well as some of his colleague parliamentarians were at the Faleolo International Airport last Friday to receive the body.

The body of the late M.P. was transported to the Ligaliga Funeral Home in Moto’otua where a service was held before it was put in the morgue. 

Plans for a state funeral have been put on hold until his wife is released from quarantine, the Samoa Observer has been told.

Vaafusuaga was 53 when he passed on in New Zealand on 19 January 2021 after he was flown out of the country for medical treatment. 

He was a member of the ruling Human Rights Protection Party and was first elected to the Parliament in the 2016 General Election as the M.P. for Lefaga and Falese’ela. 

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

A businessman by background, Toleafoa, was a Board Director of the Samoa Shipping Corporation before he entered the Parliament in 2016. 

In 2018 at Faleaseela he was bestowed with the Va’afusuaga title, the highest honour in his family.