Pacific

Samoa high ranking chief fined for defamation

05:39 am on 13 February 2012

A woman in Samoa holding a high ranking oratory matai title has been ordered to pay damages of more than 8,000 US dollars for defaming a village chief.

The woman orator, Unasa Faapupula, was the third defendant in the case.

They were accused of spreading slander in the village by alleging sexual relationship between a woman of the village and the plaintiff, Toala Tulouna Ropati.

But the court ruled that the claim against the first and the second defendants were not proven.