Businesswoman, Iliganoa Sapolu, has alerted members of the public to beware of a woman, who has apparently been making rounds in Apia, allegedly conning unsuspecting victims in the process.
Mrs. Sapolu, who is the wife of Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiava’asu’e Falefatu Sapolu, identified the woman to the Sunday Samoan as one “Catherine Fa’alogo.”
Last Tuesday, Mrs. Sapolu, who owns Daphne’s Restaurant, became one of the victims when the woman conned her of US$600 (T$1,380).
“This lady came here but I wasn’t here at that time so she came and asked my staff that she wanted to order a wedding dress and seven bridesmaids dresses for her cousin’s wedding on Saturday,” said Mrs. Sapolu explained.
“My niece and staff members were here told her that I wasn't here but she insisted that she would wait.”
When Mrs. Sapolu finally arrived at the shop, the woman approached her.
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“She told me that she is from Australia and that she is here for her cousin’s wedding. She wanted to order a wedding dress and seven bridesmaids dresses.”
At that point, Mrs. Sapolu took her seriously. She informed their seamstress about the order.
“She then came and said that she will call all the bridesmaids to come down and have their measurements done.”
The wedding was supposed to have been held yesterday. Mrs. Sapolu said it was a very late order but “we gave her the benefit of the doubt and has her to look around our shop while she was waiting for the bridesmaids.”
At that time, a relative of Mrs. Sapolu from American Samoa arrived at the shop.
“So we started talking. I had with me US$600 so I went over to my desk and put the money inside my draw.”
“My desk is set up is an open space and next to it there were some materials hanging there. At that time, the lady was next to my desk looking through some materials. I didn't mind so I returned to my relative from American Samoa and continued talking.”
When her relative left, the woman apparently left also.
“But when I came back to my desk, I opened the draw and I saw that the money was gone,” she said. “It all happened so fast, I was shocked because for just a short period of time that I turned my back and then came back to my desk, the money was already gone.”
Mrs. Sapolu said the woman who wanted the wedding dresses was nowhere to be seen or found.
“On that same day, we went and lodged a complaint with the Police. To my amazement, the police knew exactly whom we were talking about.
“They described her to us and it was exactly the same person who came to my store that day.
“According to the Police, the woman has records of theft in their files and that she was in jail. Her name is Catherine Faalogo and she is from Siumu but she is staying at Leauva’a for the meantime.”
On Thursday, Mrs. Sapolu said the Police called to say they had found her. She was taken to Tafa’igata to await her Court appearance.
“The two eye witnesses then went over and identified her but by that time, she had changed her hair colour. She even denied coming here to the shop.”
It was not possible to get a comment from the Police yesterday.
According Mrs. Sapolu, however, she found out later that the alleged conwoman appeared before His Honour Chief Justice Patu on Monday where he apparently ordered her to find a lawyer.
“Instead of finding herself a lawyer, she came and stole from the Chief Justice,” said Mrs. Sapolu.
Today, the message from Mrs. Sapolu to members of the public is to be extremely careful with people like her.
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