Award-winning author Sia Figiel, charged with murder, tells court the devil was responsible

Renowned author and poet Sia Figiel, accused of the murder of a fellow writer in Samoa, has told a court the devil persuaded her to commit the crime.

The 57-year-old is facing a total of five charges in relation to the death of respected poet, writer and academic Dr Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard late last month.

Figiel, who holds the chiefly title of Papali’i, appeared in the Samoan court yesterday and told the presiding judge that she no longer wants a lawyer and would like to represent herself, Talamua Online reported.

Figiel’s now former lawyer had earlier asked for a suppression order on publishing details of the incident and Figiel’s name.

However, the writer told the court she refuted the suppression applications because she is a writer and there was no reason not to publicise her name.

Her lawyer had also applied for a mental health assessment to be undertaken before pleading against the charges.

“Figiel again contested [the lawyer’s] application and told the court that it was the devil that persuaded her to commit the crime,” Talamua reported.

Award-winning novelist Sia Figiel has been arrested and charged with the murder of a fellow writer in Samoa. Photo / File

“She wanted the court to issue her sentence [yesterday] so the spirit of the deceased is free.”

Among the charges Figiel faces are two counts of being armed with a dangerous weapon and one count of causing serious injuries.

However, responding to that in court, she reportedly said that that was the work of the devil.

Figiel was told by the judge that there were other matters that needed to be settled first and pointed out that she had not yet entered a plea.

The judge also advised the writer to reconsider her want for self-representation and to speak to her lawyer.

Victim the aunt of US politician Tulsi Gabbard

Former US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is the niece of the victim, Dr Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard. Photo / AP

Local police earlier reported the incident happened on Saturday, May 25, at Figiel’s home in Vaivase-Uta - about a 10-minute drive from Samoa’s capital: Apia. The property also doubles as the local theatre.

The full circumstances of the death are not clear. But police said at the time an argument broke out between the two women shortly before the incident.

Police said Figiel then drove to a friend’s house before turning herself in to authorities the following morning, after telling the friend what had happened over breakfast.

News of the incident sent shockwaves around the Pacific community and specifically the literary and performing arts sector in the region.

Figiel’s works are well-known around the Pacific region and New Zealand, where they are published. Her debut novel, Where We Once Belonged, was a best-selling book that won the 1997 Asia/Pacific Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for fiction.

The victim, Dr Gabbard, is also highly respected in the region, having worked as a professor of English at the University of Hawai’i. She was the first Samoan to become a full professor in the US.

Gabbard is also an aunt of American politician and former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard - the first Samoan-American to reach Congress.

Figiel is due to appear in court again next week. She remains in police custody.

Vaimoana Mase is the Pasifika editor for the Herald’s Talanoa section, sharing stories from the Pacific community. She won junior reporter of the year at the then Qantas Media Awards in 2010 and won the best opinion writing award at the 2023 Voyager Media Awards.