Church Minister detained for breaching quarantine rules

A Salepoua’e Methodist Church Minister is being detained at a quarantine site after he was suspected of going in to see his sick wife.

The Chairman of the National Emergency Operation Centre (N.E.O.C), Ulu Bismarck Crawley, confirmed that the man, Reverend Kini Ulu-Kini, will undergo a mandatory 14-days quarantine.

“He was exposed to one of the [quarantine detainees] and that’s why he was [forcefully] detained in quarantine,” he said.

Rev. Ulu-Kini’s wife was among the more than 300 passengers who arrived in Samoa last week Friday.

She had sought medical treatment in New Zealand.

Asked how it was possible that the Minister managed to evade security guards around the site and entered its grounds, Ulu suggested it was possible he snuck into the facility around the guards and in breach of protocols.

The Samoa Observer visited the Minister’s house on Tuesday and found no one home, except churchgoers who said his congregation had been unaware of his whereabouts since last weekend.

On Sunday, a Methodist Church Minister serving at nearby Levi was ordered to conduct the Sunday service and deliver communion while Rev. Kini was in quarantine.

Asked for a comment, Methodist Church Secretary Minister, Reverend Eteuati Leuo Tauati, said he was not aware of the situation.

But he confirmed that Rev. Kini’s wife had travelled overseas for medical treatment.