Cold blooded murder

A 25-year-old mother of two, who was beaten to death by her estranged husband last week, died a very violent death beside her children.

So said her cousin, Fa’alagilagi, who told the Samoa Observer that Fatima Tupa’i was bashed with a rock used to mash Samoan cocoa by an intoxicated and a stoned man he had been separated from.

The attack occurred during the early hours of last Sunday morning while Fatima and her children were sleeping. Their eldest is twoyears- old with the baby being one month old. The woman’s elderly grandmother was also nearby.

According to her relative, the family are finding it extremely tough to accept what has happened.

“To be honest, it has been a nightmare,” she said.

“It’s hard for us to take because Fatima and her husband were separated. It’s because of his history of violence that’s got her fed up.” Recalling what happened, Fa’alagilagi said they were asleep when he turned up.

“It was Sunday morning, maybe two to three o’clock in the morning when he came to the house where she slept with their two children,” she said.

“That was the first time he showed up since they were separated…our old grandmother slept on the other side of the house.

“It was Fatima’s eldest sister that came running from the other house when she heard someone was trying to shout.

She then called the police but it was too late.

“She was found with serious injuries on the head inside the house, by that time…he already left somewhere. She was covered in blood.”

Fa’alagilagi said the man was drunk and was high.

“One of his friends that he used to live with said that on that night, he saw him walking naked on the road,” she said.

“He was very drunk and that was nearly one o’clock in the morning. His friend said he gave him a towel to cover himself up.

“It must’ve been after that that he attacked Fatima.”

Faalagilagi said she is now looking after the one-month old baby.

“Fatima was a very good mother to their children,” she said.

“She was a kind and loving person and will be greatly missed.

“When things were bad, she promised that she will never return to her husband but said she will look after her children and our grandmother.

“We are devastated that she has gone.”

Since last Sunday, the Police have been looking for the man.

A source told the Samoa Observer yesterday that the man was caught at Satapuala during the weekend. This could not be confirmed by the Police yesterday.