Samoa's ex-PM Fiamē sues Laaulialemalietoa for defamation over murder case claims

Reports from Sāmoa have confirmed that former Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataafa has officially filed a ST$1.1 million ($NZ698,000) defamation suit in the Supreme Court on 14 October against Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt and Lise Marie Schmidt.

The lawsuit centres on remarks made by Laaulialemalietoa during an election campaign rally in July, where he linked Fiamē to the death of acclaimed scholar Dr Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard. Gabbard’s death is the subject of an ongoing murder trial, with renowned Sāmoan author Papalii Sia Figiel facing murder charges.

Details of the defamation suit include allegations thatLaaulialemalietoa told supporters at the July 2025 rally that there was a third party willing to testify that Fiamē was involved in the removal of evidence related to Gabbard’s death. The Prime Minister is also alleged to have claimed that Fiamē had refused to call in foreign police to assist in the investigations; a claim that Fiamē’s legal representatives have described as “false, defamatory, and politically calculated”.

The suit also targets Lise Marie Schmidt, a relative of Laaulialemalietoa, over two letters allegedly written by her on 3 March. One letter was addressed to the Attorney-General and the other to the Head of State. The letters claimed that Fiamē ordered the removal and concealment of evidence, was in contact with Figiel, and tried to influence the case to avoid reporting it to the authorities.

PMN News reached out to Fiamē’s legal counsel for a comment, but they stated that Fiamē did not wish to respond to inquiries regarding the suit. The legal team for Laaulialemalietoa confirmed that neither they nor the Prime Minister had received the suit as of Friday morning.

The lawsuit emerges amid heightened political tensions in the island nation, particularly leading up to the August snap election, which resulted in Laaulialemalietoa becoming the new Prime Minister.

Comments by Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa during the election campaign period are part of a defamation suit brought against him by former leader Fiamē Naomi Mataafa. Photo/FAST Party/Facebook

The legal action marks a significant development in the history of defamation cases in Sāmoa, coinciding with increased scrutiny of the new government’s handling of justice and governance matters.

Last week, Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo was directed to vacate his office after the Cabinet declined to extend his contract further, which had expired in July. The extension was initially approved by the previous Fiamē-led administration while recruitment for the role was underway.

The decision came shortly after the Sāmoa Law Society raised concerns about the overlapping political and judicial responsibilities of Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa, whose Cabinet portfolio includes Police, Prisons, the Office of the Attorney-General, and the Sāmoa Law Reform Commission.

The unfolding defamation case adds to a growing list of legal and institutional disputes that are testing Sāmoa’s political stability in the aftermath of the recent election.

Watch Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Schmidt's social media post below.