A former internal auditor for the Samoa National Provident Fund had 23 months added to his current 12-month jail term for possession of methamphetamine by the Supreme Court last week.

Fatuatia Saumalu, in his previous probation reports, said he was introduced to meth by a friend and had no intention of using it frequently.

Saumalu in March 2025 was sentenced by Judge Justice Vui Clarence Nelson to 12 months imprisonment for similar charges.

Delivering his decision, Justice Leiataualesa Darryl Clarke told the defendant that he is an example of a well-educated man with family responsibilities destroyed by his involvement with narcotics.

"There has been much talk over the past decade and longer concerning the risk and now emergence of a methamphetamine epidemic in Samoa," Justice Leiataualesa said.

According to the police summary of facts, on 20 November 2024, police were conducting a roadside checkpoint at Satupaitea Road, Savaii. The police stopped a Toyota Fielder driven by the defendant, and the police suspected the defendant may be intoxicated.

As the police searched the trunk of the defendant's car, they found a .22 calibre rifle, and from there the vehicle was taken to Vaitoomuli police post and a search was carried out.

The search found: a clear glass pipe, three rounds of ammunition, methamphetamine in five zip lock bags and 25 marijuana seeds.

Justice Leiataualesa sentenced Saumalu to 23 months imprisonment, consecutive to the current term of imprisonment, which means this sentence will be added to the current term.