A politician, a senior police officer and three other individuals have maintained their innocence denying multiple charges alleging they conspired to defeat the course of justice related to an unsolved hit and run case that happened in 2021. 

Member of Parliament for Salega No.1, Fepuleai Faimata Sua, suspended inspector Lio Faataumalama, Lise Marie Schmidt, Sam Sua and Sivai Kepi Mamea are facing a total of 194 charges. 

There are individual charges and joint charges against the defendants all linked to claims made by Sua that he witnessed the hit and run that caused the death of Tuuau Fa’asavalu in 2021. 

Sua has the most charges, 104 arising from interviews he did and publicised on social media claiming he knows who drove the car that killed the university student. 

But the police claimed they verified the information and statement from Sua and argued it was fabricated alleging it’s a conspiracy with the other defendants to pin the hit and run on an opposition member.

Sua is facing 104 final charges;16 counts of misleading police, 16 counts of fabricating evidence, 27 counts of defamation, 13 counts of insulting words and the rest are joint charges for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and conspiracy to commit an offence. 

The M.P. for Salega No.1 is facing 18 charges which are individual and joint charges ranging from perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to commit an offence.

Ms. Schmidt is facing nine charges including one count of breaching bail, three counts of accessory after the fact, one count of perverting the course of justice and joint charges of conspiracy to commit an offence. 

Lio on the other hand has the least charges; three counts of conspiracy to defeat the course of justice and one joint charge of conspiracy to commit an offence. 

All the defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges through their lawyers. 

Lio was represented by Tanya Toailoa. Ms. Schmidt, Sua and his wife have Lagaaia Fetu Lagaaia as their defence lawyer. Muriel Lui is acting for Fepuleai. 

Sua and his wife remain in custody while the three other defendants have been released on strict bail conditions. 

The final charges were put together by private prosecutor Leinafo Taimalelagi Strickland.

District Court Judge, Talasa Saaga Atoa adjourned the matter until 20 May for a hearing with the case running for two weeks. 

The prosecution has indicated they will be calling 35 witnesses to support their case.