The court proceeding involving a couple accused of purportedly making defamatory statements against the Ministry of Police and its senior officers has been postponed for one more week. 

This delay is attributed to their engagement with a new attorney. 

When the matter was called at the district court on Tuesday, the defense counsel disclosed a conflict of interest and subsequently withdrew as the legal representative for the couple.

Counsel Muriel Lui acted on behalf of Mauga Precious Chang who was the former lawyer for So'oau Va'a and Maylynn Brown who have laid multiple charges including using threatening words, insulting words, defamation, and harassment using electronic means. 

The new lawyer to take up the case is Tanya Toailoa.

The couple have yet to enter a plea to the charges laid against them. The accusations against the couple are linked to claims they made on their social media platform, Tu Manu ae Le Tu Logologo.

Some of these allegations are targeted at the Police Commissioner and other high-ranking officers, accusing them of failing to pursue legal action against a senior politician whom the couple asserted was supposedly implicated in a hit-and-run incident.

A Facebook live from Brown after they were taken into police custody late last year confirmed bail conditions imposed by the court including restrictions on using social media. 

“We have been restricted from doing any lives regarding the police department or anybody from the H.R.P.P. side,” she said. 

“For the time being currently at home, unfortunately, papa Vaa didn’t make it out today because we are waiting for travel documents. 

“We needed an affidavit from the lawyer to confirm that his passport has been lost.” 

She then acknowledged her supporters, family, and friends for assisting them through a GoFundMe page. 

The couple has also called on their supporters to rally in a protest march for which the date is yet to be confirmed against the Police Commissioner and senior officer they claimed were involved in Tuuau Fa’asavalu’s case.