A young woman yesterday told the District Court she felt disgusted with the alleged sexual advances made by the Editor of the Savali Newspaper, Tupuola Terry Tavita, towards her.
Maria Livisitone Kolio told the Court that Tupuola made the advances several times before he abandoned her at a rural village when she turned him down.
Ms. Kolio made the claims when she gave evidence on the first day of Tupuola’s trial yesterday. The Editor of the government-owned newspaper has pleaded not guilty to two charges of indecent assault; one of threatening words and two counts of assault.
He is represented in Court by lawyer, Fepulea’i Patrick Fepulea’i.
Senior Sergeant Ken Komiti, of the Ministry of the Police, is the prosecutor while Judge Vaepule Alo Va’ai is presiding.
The Court heard that the alleged indecent assault charges stemmed from two different occasions; at Aleisa and A‘ufaga in December 2014.
The complainant claimed that the incidents happened while she was in the Savali car with him when they were making their way to cover stories in these villages.
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On both occasions, she said Tupuola tried to feel her up by touching her thigh.
Ms. Kolio said that at one point when he asked how she felt about his attempts, she told him that the “only thing that comes over is the feeling of disgust about what you’re doing.”
At Aleisa, the complainant said Tupuola asked her if she had a boyfriend.
When she said no, he said: “What if you were friends with the boss of the Savali?”
Asked who that was, the woman said Tupuola referred to himself.
The woman also told the Court that Tupuola had asked her to go home with him when they return to Apia so that they could have sex.
The second time the alleged advances were made was when the woman and the defendant were heading to cover the bestowal of a matai title on heavyweight boxer, Joseph Parker.
The complainant said Tupuola stopped the car and he started to touch her thigh.
She stopped him.
When they resumed their journey, the complainant said the defendant stopped the vehicle at two accommodation providers where he tried to get them a room.
At one stop, the owner told him that it would cost $30. She said Tupuola told the man he only had $20 but he wanted a fale with blinds and curtains, she said.
Eventually they left.
At Lalomanu, the woman said they turned into the bushes where he told her that they should rest. When he put the car seat down, she jumped out of the car.
When he noticed she was not paying him any attention, he turned the car on and they left.
At Aufaga, he left her there, telling her he had to return to Apia because he had some things to do.
She was told to catch a ride from the event with someone after.
The complainant said she caught a ride with representatives of the Samoa Today newspaper.
The hearing continues.
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