An Australian-based former Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party supporter has publicly put a SAT$100,000 wager on the outcome of a controversial police investigation.

Melbourne-based Molio'o Andrew Mowat called out the Chairman of the F.A.S.T. party and challenged him to bet on the outcome of the Samoa Police's investigations into the April 2021 death of an 18-year-old teenager in Vaitele-fou.

Molio'o, who was a Chairman of one of F.A.S.T. Supporters Groups in Melbourne and raised funds to support the ruling party's campaign in the lead-up to the 2021 General Election, challenged La'auli Leuatea Schmidt.

He said if Police can find evidence to back the claims made against Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi on his alleged involvement in the hit-and-run case – which claimed the life of Tu'uau Fa'asavalu – then La'auli who has "repeated" the allegations publicly can take his $100,000. 

On the other hand, he said if police aren't able to prove the allegations made against the Secretary of the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) then La'auli and "other Cabinet Ministers" would have to pay him $100,000.

"I am going to put my money where my mouth is," Molio'o said during an interview with Maota o Vi'iga last week. "I will wager $100,000 tala on the outcome of the case, should the Police be able to prove the involvement of Lealailepule. However, if the allegations made are untrue, then they pay me $100,000."

Molio'o also waved what he claimed to be his "chequebook" and said that he could "easily sign $100,000" and put it forward. 

"I want to challenge any one of them that has $100,000 to come forward and together with my $100,000 then we can give it to the lawyer as we await the outcome of the investigation.

"They have blamed this on Lealailepule and Sam without any proof, even after an official statement from the Police that was published in the Samoa Observer newspaper.

"Police have made it clear that Lealailepule had no involvement but they still brought up this ex-prisoner to make these allegations to cause more confusion."

When contacted by this newspaper for a comment, La'auli, who is also the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries said he did not want to waste his time responding to the challenge from Molio'o as he has better things to do. 

La'auli added that he has already responded to the challenge on Friday night on the Soalepule programme on the EFKS TV station. 

"And I will not waste my time responding to the challenge again," La'auli told this newspaper. "I have already responded and I stand by what I said on the Soalepule programme."

La'auli last Friday night brushed off the challenge from Molio'o, claiming that the challenger is just a "new kid on the block" during his program on the church-run station. 

"You can't gamble on a person's life," La'auli said. "He has challenged me and declared that he has a chequebook. My advice for you is if you have money right now, use it wisely to develop your family. You are just a new kid on the block. I don't know who you are. 

"I had cut off any communications with you (Molio'o) and we are not on the same level. Consider where you stand instead of making silly challenges. If you have any guts then run for office and come serve your constituency and enter politics. You and me are not the same."

La'auli did not stop there. He also insinuated that Molio'o was "under the influence" and had no idea what he was talking about. 

"Don't be a show-off, nobody knows you. Don't challenge me because you can't beat me. But you can tell someone is not in their right mind and is under the influence when they come off as very harsh and aggressive."

Attempts by this newspaper to contact Molio'o for an interview on Monday were unsuccessful at the time of going to press.