Pacific / Samoa

Immigration officer jailed over false passports in Samoa

06:46 am on 31 May 2019

A Samoan immigration officer has been jailed over the sale of passports to foreigners.

David Nomeneta Uaine began serving a four year sentence on Thursday after a Supreme Court decision by Justice Tafaoimalo Leilani Warren.

Daivd Nomeneta talking to his lawyer after the ruling Photo: RNZ Pacific /Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia

The 28 year old was found guilty of 28 out of 32 charges including forgery, corruption, bribery, and improper issue of Samoan travel documents.

The court heard Uaine took applications from people who were not citizens and issued them with five Samoan passports with faked identities and was paid over $US2,000.

The presiding judge said it was a premeditated offence for personal gain and was an abuse of the defendant's role in immigration.