Murder of outspoken MP sends shock waves round Samoa

An outspoken member of the main Samoan opposition party has been murdered in Auckland.

Su'a Atonio, 54, an MP from Aleipata village in Upolu, was stabbed in the chest late on Wednesday night at a Manurewa house.

A 47-year-old Pakuranga man accused of his murder appeared in the Manukau District Court yesterday and has been remanded in custody to reappear next week. He has interim name suppression.

Police have said the victim and the alleged killer knew each other and have described the murder as domestic-related.

Su'a was on a private visit to New Zealand.

The news sent shock waves round Apia last night. Su'a was an outspoken member of Parliament in his 16 years in opposition and before that worked for the National Provident Fund.

He was the secretary of the opposition party, the Samoa Democratic United Party (SDUP), whose leader, Le Mamea Ropati, was horrified at the murder.

He said it came as a great shock for the party, which was preparing for elections.

"He will be missed, he is our caucus secretary and is critical to our party. He is a staunch supporter ... he speaks his mind as he understands and doesn't muck around with words.

"Our caucus has not met yet. Tomorrow we will meet, discuss his death and a candidate to replace him in coming elections ... however, we would like to relay all our sympathies to his wife and children."

The New Zealand High Commissioner to Samoa, John Adank, told the Herald Su'a was a well-known Opposition MP.

"It's going to be a subject of shock and horror at this end."

Mr Adank did not think the murder would have been politically motivated.

"I don't think there's any suggestion of that, it sounds like a tragic incident."

Su'a was considered one of the most vocal MPs in opposition, and was recently in the headlines for referring to members of the governing Human Rights Protection Party as dogs.

In June he was ordered out of Parliament for describing the Government as cowardly. He had earlier got into trouble for describing the Government as crooked.

Health Minister Mulitalo said then that Su'a had a habit of using bad words which lowered the dignity of the House.