A Church Minister of the New Methodist Church at Vaitele-Fou, Reverend Petaia Setu, has been found guilty in the Supreme Court of Samoa of raping an 18-year-old youth member of the church.
The victim had been raised by her grandparents who were senior members of the faifeau’s parish at the time.
The week-long trial ended on Thursday afternoon at about 5:30pm when a panel of assessors returned with a guilty verdict as reported by Radio Samoa who were in Court at the time.
The five-member panel of assessors found the 67-year-old guilty of one charge of sexual violation by rape, three charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, and one charge of indecent acts.
The incidents happened at the Vaitele-Fou church compound in 2023 and 2024, during times when the teenage girl had stayed back to help with chores at the church, and in faifeau’s house.
The Court heard that the victim’s mother lives in Australia, and her whole life, she was raised by her grandparents, who had been active members of Rev Petaia Setu’s parish.
Midway through 2023 the victim stopped going to school while awaiting her papers to join her mother in Australia.
It was during this period while helping her grandmother with church events, that she was sexually violated by the Church Minister.
The reverand maintained his innocence throughout the trial, but did not give evidence. His wife, however, took the stand in support of her faifeau husband.
Police were represented by Prosecutors Muliagatele Tauanu’u Raewyn Nansen-Fong and Aliimalemanu Faye Sinei Fili-Tiafau. The reverand was represented by Lucy-Marie Sio Ofoia.
Supreme Court Justice Fepuleai Ameperosa Roma presided over the assessor trial and will deliver his sentence on the 13th of May.
Reverand Petaia Setu remains on bail until sentence.
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