Second Death Sentence
p. 44 · Read in the full issue
In W. Samoa
From Our Own Correspondent
Apia, Oct. 14
A FORTNIGHT after the death sen tence had been imposed on a Samoan for brutal murder of his young wife at Faleasiu village, another death sentence was pronounced by the
Apia High Court after the murder trial of Miki Ekesia a Samoan aged 18 years.
He had killed, with a machete, a chief of his village, Tofilau Lagu, following a dispute over the boundary of a taro patch.
The case was heard on October 13 before Chief Judge C. C. Marsack and a jury of two European and two Samoan assessors. In his summing up the Chief Judge said the reason given by accused constituted no excuse or justification for the offence. After a short retirement, the jury pronounced accused guilty of murder and the Chief Judge sentenced him to death by hanging—subject to con firmation by the Governor General of New Zealand.
Fetuiu’i Togialua, who murdered his de facto wife and has received a death sentence.