Anger grabs hold in Samoa

New Zealand police investigators walk into a charged atmosphere in Samoa today, as grieving supporters call for vengeance for the murder of the Public Works Minister, Luagalau Levaula Kamu.

He was shot on Saturday night at St Joseph's College hall, Apia, while attending his political party's 20th anniversary celebrations.

Luagalau Levaula had left the stage to answer a cellphone call after introducing Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi to the crowd. They heard a single gunshot.

Luagalau Levaula died in hospital shortly afterwards.

TV reports last night suggested that the minister had been killed with a military-style M16 assault rifle.

Earlier this year, authorities confiscated and publicly destroyed a large number of guns they said had been smuggled into Samoa.

Samoan journalists report that pastors are trying to calm the baying for blood coming from Luagalau Levaula's constituents.

"The assassination of Luagalau is an embarrassing thing to our family and we will never forgive the killer," said Luagalau Faret, a relative.

The Prime Minister doubted the motive was political. "It's probably a personal grudge against the minister or it's probably the work of a nut."

There were strong leads and he hoped for an arrest soon.

Detective Inspector Steve Shortland, Detective Sergeant Phil Kirkham, intelligence analyst Marcia Clark and Dr John Buckleton, a senior forensic scientist, are expected to spend up to two weeks helping with the investigation.

Labour's Pacific Islands affairs spokesman, Taito Phillip Field, said he was deeply saddened and shocked by the killing.

The death was a bitter blow to Auckland immigration consultant and former National cabinet minister Aussie Malcolm, who adopted Luagalau Levaula into his family in the late 1970s.

Mr Malcolm said Luagalau Levaula lived with the family in Auckland and Wellington for six years while studying to become a lawyer, and his children thought of him as their big brother.

He said Luagalau Levaula was a popular mainstream politician, not given to radical measures that might inspire a hostile reaction.