FIJIAN FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST TO ARRIVE
Moto’otua Hospital
Photo: Supplied
There are four deceased cases currently at the Post Mortem awaiting a Fijian
Forensic Pathologist to study the causes of death. The medical
examiner is set to arrive in the next two weeks.
According to the Deputy Police Papali'i Monalisa Keneti Tiai-Keti , in
a request sent by the Attorney General's Office for a specialist
coroner , the application has been sent to Fiji for a Forensic
Pathologist to study the four bodies.
Due to Samoa having no specialist pathologist on island , hence why
the request has been sent to the closest neighbouring island ,Fiji
where one is available and nearby. This isn't the first time a
Forensic Pathologist from Fiji has entered Samoa upon request , one
arrived in June this year to carry out studies at the Post Mortem in
Motootua Hospital.
The Government of Samoa pays in between $30,000 to $40,000 in total to
bring an expert from Fiji. The duration of the work is usually set for
1 week for the pathologist to reside in Samoa and carry out operations
and studies.
One of the studies yet to be executed by the expected Pathologist from
Fiji is the New Years Eve Case back in 2021 , where two men were both
shot and murdered at their homes in the village of Afega.
The case was set to have a Forensic Pathologist travel from China this
year but due to unfortunate circumstances , that never happened. In
September this year , the Attorney General's Office requested to have
the charges of the accuse in this case set from murder to
manslaughter.
The families of the four bodies currently kept at the mortuary
cabinets are eager to carry out special services for them. The
families are waiting to lay their loved ones to rest and have proper
funerals for them.