Police probe 'first of its kind' transnational murder case for Sāmoa

Two Sāmoan nationals have been detained in Vietnam over the alleged shooting death of a Sydney man. The case is now being investigated by police across the Pacific region.

Vietnamese authorities say Steve Tofa and Joseph Va'a were detained near the Vietnam-Cambodia border days after the shooting of Lorenzo Lemalu Tovia in Ho Chi Minh City on 21 May, news.com.au reported.

The Fiji Sun has reported the two men transited through Fiji using their Sāmoan passports. But Fiji's Ministry of Immigration says it is still working to confirm their travel history.

International media earlier reported the men travelled on fake passports and it remains unclear how the different accounts align.

Sāmoa Police have now opened their own investigation, calling it the first time Sāmoan nationals have allegedly been linked to a suspected transnational murder-for-hire operation.

Assistant Police Commissioner Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga told a media conference that Sāmoa authorities began communicating with overseas agencies within a day of the incident.

Steve Tofa (left) and Joseph Va'a (right), both in blue, in Vietnamese police custody. Photo/Facebook/VTV

"Our focus is on finding out if there was any connected law-breaking here in the country, anything that requires our action and also what we can assist with when the Australian authorities reach out to us," Leiataua says.

Police say they are working with the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre (PTCCC), a regional law enforcement network that includes agencies from across the Pacific.

Assistant Police Commissioner Leausalilo Norman Meni says the case marks a significant moment for Sāmoa’s policing response to organised crime.

An image by VTV9 shows Joseph Va'a detained in Vietnamese police custody. Photo/Facebook/VTV9

"This is the first case of its kind," Meni says, referring to allegations involving organised crime and a suspected contract killing across international borders.

Vietnamese authorities allege Tofa and Va'a arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport on 14 May and spent several days monitoring their targets before the shooting, according to Australian media reports.

The authorities also allege the two men travelled using false passports. Vietnam's state-run Voice of Vietnam reported on 25 May that police initially searched for two individuals using Australian identities that did not match the names of the Sāmoan nationals later detained.

Vietnamese police have not publicly confirmed whether formal charges have been laid. Footage released by Vietnam's Ministry for Public Security appears to show both men speaking while in custody on 26 May.

In the video, Tofa says they had travelled to Vietnam to locate Lemalu and another man. Va'a appears to admit involvement in the shooting. The statements were released by Vietnamese authorities and have not been tested in court.

Vietnamese authorities also say they are investigating several local people accused of helping the suspects flee after the shooting, VTV9, Vietnam's state broadcaster, reported.

A video shared widely on social media appears to show confessions by both men of the alleged crimes.

Australian media have reported Lemalu, known as Renzo, allegedly had links to organised crime networks in Sydney. But authorities have not publicly confirmed a motive for the killing.

As the overseas investigation continues, authorities in Sāmoa have moved on several fronts.

The Samoa Observer reports that Maiava Atalina Ainuu-Enari, the Central Bank Governor, has ordered commercial banks to freeze all accounts linked to six individuals following a request from Sāmoa Police and the Transnational Crime Unit. The action is connected to the ongoing investigation.

Separately, a man, a woman, and a young girl were removed from an Air New Zealand flight at Faleolo International Airport on Wednesday night before departure to Auckland. Police have not confirmed whether the incident is linked to the Vietnam case.

PMN News has contacted Sāmoa's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment regarding consular support, the alleged use of fake travel documents, and coordination between Sāmoa, Australia, and Vietnam.

The case is expected to draw close attention across the Pacific as regional law enforcement agencies respond to growing concerns around transnational organised crime and the involvement of Pacific nationals overseas.