2019 Samoa assassination plot

[4] After an initial hearing on 26 August,[5] two of the suspects - blogger Malele Atofu Paulo and teacher Lema'i Faioso Sione - appeared in court on 3 September and pleaded not guilty.

Paulo and Sione entered a not-guilty plea, while Leiloa pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiring to commit murder.

On 1 November 2019, when he was due to be sentenced, Leiloa asked the judge to change his plea from guilty to not-guilty, after being advised by his lawyer.

[14] The trial began on 13 March 2023 not before a jury but before hand-picked assessors with publication of evidence and reports of the proceedings suppressed.

[18] On 20 August 2020 Australian Federal Police officer Natalie Marks arrested Brisbane man Talalelei Pauga for extradition to Samoa.

[23] On 16 September 2021, Faatasi Puleiata Veataui withdrew the Samoan warrant for the arrest of Mr Pauga which he had previously issued on 25 February 2020.

[27] At a preliminary hearing in December 2023 the Supreme Court of Samoa was told that prosecution had not yet provided its witness statements to the accused and the trial was not ready to proceed.

The Court was also told that a ruling by Justice Vaai on the validity of the arrest warrant upon which Pauga was extradited was still outstanding from February 2022.

Justice Tuatagaloa told Pauga’s lawyers that if any further delaying tactics, may result in a reconsideration of bail conditions for the defendant.