Pacific

Not guilty plea by head of defunct Samoan TV station

17:00 pm on 8 October 2008

The former chief executive officer of defunct LAUTV in Samoa, Tuiasau Leota Uelese Petaia, has entered a not guilty plea to all 68 counts of theft against him when he appeared in the district court.

Fiji Television is the key complainant in the case against the former TV boss and eleven prosecution witnesses will be called to give evidence in a trial set to be heard in February next year.

The allege offences cover the period from September last year to April this year.

Tuiasau is a former movie actor and CEO of the state owned television station, and a former editor of the only daily newspaper in Samoa.

He is also a former vice president of Pacific Island News Association.