Heartless father cries

A 73-year-old father from Utuali’i, Leo A’iatele Tala’i Leo, is an angry and a bitter man.

In tears during an interview with the Samoa Observer yesterday, he condemned the behaviour of some students attending the Malua Theological College, calling on the elders and leaders of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa to evaluate if such students are worthy of the calling.

“This was heartless,” he said.

“God doesn't do this to the crown of his work, his people.”

Leo’s disappointment stems from an alleged incident where his son, Eteuati, was tied with a piglet belonging to the school he had killed.

He also claimed his son was tied to a telephone poll prior to being thrown on the tray of the truck and transported to the Police station.

In making the matter public, Leo admitted that his son was wrong to kill the Theological school’s piglet.

But having given it much thought, he said he wanted to raise the issue so that the leaders of the church are aware about what is happening.

He described the way his son was treated as “highly inappropriate.”

“Are these the types of people we want to trust with the work of God on this earth?” Leo said.

“These men who did this to my son will go on to pastor churches and teach people about humane behaviour. What they did to my son was inhumane. You don't treat people like that, regardless of the circumstances.”

According to Leo, the incident occurred on 23 August 2015.

“I admit that my son and two other males from the village were stupid in what they did,” he said.

After they killed the piglet, the Theological College students caught Eteuati while the other two ran off.

“So [the students] that caught Eteuati they tied his hands and legs together. While they waited for the truck to arrive, they tied his neck against a telephone pole.”

The father said he would have been fine with the Police being called to deal with his son. He said his daughter had informed him about the alleged attack on his son, and, while initially hesitant to publicly say anything, he had decided to speak out against the attackers.

“What you did to my son is unacceptable. Our children are yours as well, why didn’t you just catch him and send him straight to the police? “Tying his legs and hands [and his] neck to the telephone pole…is not the answer.”

He said the Theological students allegedly involved were learning “to exercise faith, patience, obedience and how to settle things in Godly ways.”

The attack could have killed someone, he said.

He said the issue had reached Court.

His son had not been fined, while the other two males involved in the piglet chase were made to pay a penalty. “My son apologised to the College and he was told to clean up the garden at the roadside of the college…and he did.”

He encouraged the alleged attackers and those around them to look to other ways to solve problems. “[Tying someone up] is a punishment that was practiced a long time ago, before Christianity. “This is so sad, this kind of punishment is only for those who committed serious crimes or moekolo…in the college compound. “My son told me that the pig was running in front of them, [and they did not know] that the pig belonged to the college. That’s why they chased the pig.”

Utuali’i Village Mayor, Tulimaseali’i Samasoni Pomare, confirmed the incident. He said it had been reported to the Police.

“The problem has now been solved between the village and the college,” he said.

“The Court already gave out their decision, so as for now, everything is well.”

Vice Principal of Malua Theological College, Reverend Alesana Eteuati said the Principal of Malua, Reverend Ma’afala Limā, was overseas, due back Friday. “No comment from me on the issue,” he said.

But a Utuali’i woman, speaking anonymously, said she felt sorry for the Theological College.

“There are stolen taro, pigs, even television sets from within the compound,” she said.

“Sometimes washing machines disappear from within the compound of Malua. It’s an ongoing problem…it’s not new.

“So I think the College had enough of this.”