KEY POINTS:
The family of a man accused of sexually assaulting an Australian tourist in Samoa has been banished from their village in disgrace.
The Samoa Observer reports the Lima family was told to leave Paia, on the island of Savai'i, after a village meeting yesterday.
A member of the
family told the newspaper they were given until 4pm to leave their house or have all their property destroyed and burnt.
"The family obliged and they have now left the village," they said.
The move came after Penaia Lima, a son in the household, was accused of inappropriately touching an Australian woman while showing her and her boyfriend a nearby attraction known as the Dwarf's Cave in June.
After entering the cave, the tour guide allegedly turned off his torch and touched the woman, prompting her to leave the cave in tears.
Bad publicity from the alleged assault prompted the decision to ostracise the family, the newspaper said.
At the time, the local mayor, Taito Muese Tanu, publicly condemned the incident and said he was "disgusted" by the assault.
With the court hearing into the case due to be heard on July 27, Asi Lima, the father of the accused, is angry his family is being forced out of their home.
"In my opinion, the village could have waited until the court case is finished," he said.
"I'm very angry with Taito because he should have waited until the court case before making such claims in the newspaper. He wasn't in the cave and as far as I'm concerned, my son is innocent until the court proves otherwise," he said.
Asi Lima said guides in the caves sometimes had to touch tourists to help them navigate in the dark.
"There are times when tour guides have to help elevate a tourist to a safe spot, away from the slippery rocks, and that includes pushing them using the palms of your hand.
"I've done this myself many times. Sometimes, you have to grab a tourist by the hips to elevate them. To unsuspecting tourists, it could be interpreted as touching them in an unwanted manner," he said.
The father also apologised to all locals and tourists inconvenienced by the alleged offence.
It is the second alleged assault at the caves after an earlier incident in which a different guide asked for forgiveness and was heavily fined by the village.
That matter was not reported to police.
- AAP
