A man in his late 40s pleaded guilty to identity fraud in the Supreme Court on Monday.

Siose Fareni appeared unrepresented before Justice Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma and told the court that he was ready to plead to all five charges against him.

According to the summary of facts, on 30 May 2023, Fareni had used his younger brother Fareni Fareni's birth certificate to get a passport and committed the crime of identity fraud.

For the second charge of identity fraud, Fareni on 30 May 2023, tried to get a Samoan passport by a way of fraud using his brother's birth certificate.

For the three charges of dishonestly taking or obtaining a document, Fareni knowingly tried to register for the general election 2025 using his brother's birth certificate and Samoan passport under his younger brother's name to register.

He pleaded guilty to all five different fraud charges, and Justice Roma had adjourned the matter to 25 September 2025 for sentencing.

Fareni is out on bail and is to sign at the Apia Police twice a week and has already surrendered his travel documents to the registrar.

When Fareni's case was mentioned in the Supreme Court on 28 July, he asked the court for a legal aid counsel to represent him for his matter, however when the matter was again called before the Supreme Court on Monday, he said he could not get a counsel and that he was ready to enter a plea to all the charges against him.

Another accused on similar charges, Liu Feliua'i, is yet to appear in the Supreme Court; he is facing a warrant of arrest for not appearing in July.