APIA, 22 AUGUST 2018 (SAMOA OBSERVER) – An appeal against the Court’s decision to discharge Manu Samoa 7s captain Alatasi Tupou without conviction is set for hearing on December 3.
The decision was made by Chief Justice Patu Tiavasue Falefatu Sapolu.
Alatasi was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a valid license, which he pleaded guilty to when he appeared before the court in June.
The Office of the Attorney General is appealing the decision. In the Supreme Court yesterday, Tupou’s lawyer Donald Kerslake said the matter was adjourned yesterday for him to file his response to the appeal.
Prosecution Lucy Marie Sio said they just received the response from the respondent yesterday morning so it’s a matter of setting a hearing date for the appeal.
During the district court proceedings, Donald argued that a conviction would harm his client’s international rugby career, and added that Tupou had already faced intense public scrutiny in the wake of the charges.
District Court Judge Alalatoa Rosella Papalii, who presided over the matter, accepted the argument but still ordered court costs against the rugby player.
