A family in Musumusu, Fagaloa believe they have been a target of cyberbullying on social media after an alleged falsified story about the passing of a family member was published by an online news company.

Dead is 46-year-old Sanele Upulasi. 

What makes the family of Sanele's wife in Musumusu angry, is the fact that they are now victims of cyberbullying on social media because of the story published by an online media network.

Speaking with anger when Samoa Observer approached the family at Musumusu, one of Sanele's sister-in-law (wife's sister), Vaoa Malaefono said their family was shocked to see this story on Wednesday, 

She said what was disturbing was people attacking the family with their comments without knowing the truth.

"There are always two sides to a story and that person who wrote that article did not seek any opinion from my sister who is the wife of the deceased," she said.

Mr Upulasi allegedly drank a hazardous chemical while at their office party last month.

Ms Malaefono said her brother-in-law worked for a company in Apia. He said he stayed and worked in Apia and came home during the weekend to her sister and three children.

She said their family was also shocked to learn of his passing on 16 September 2024.

"It's sad and she doesn't even want to talk to any media organisation coming for an interview because of this story that made our family look bad," Ms Malaefono said.

Ms Malaefono said when her brother-in-law passed away, they informed Mr Upulasi's mother and family at Matatufu, Aleipata.

"The mother and her family with Sanele's sibling all came on the day of his burial and even visited him when he was at the morgue," Ms Malaefono said.

She added the father, Upulasi who was interviewed by this local online media network was not at his son's burial but he was also informed last month when Sanele passed away.

The father of Sanele, Upoulasi Pegukoko re-married and has been living with his second wife's family at Malie for the past several years.

"He is lying and it's sad that everything about this story is making our family's reputation very bad," she said.

Ms Malaefono said nothing like such will happen in Samoa where a family of a wife or husband of a person will not inform that person's family if they passed away.

"That is just not right, nothing like that will ever happen to a Samoan family because we everything with love and care," she added.

Sanele was confirmed buried last Saturday and he is survived by his wife Faapopo and three children, the eldest is 25 and the youngest is six.

Mr Pegukoko when interviewed by this local media online says that he thanked the police for their investigation and that he would be able to see his son's body one more time before burial.

He said he had to find the passing of his son from another person from the village he's living in and from there he went searching at the different morgues to find his son's body at Sefo's funeral parlour.

The old man claimed that his son passed away last Wednesday and he's sad to be in the dark about what happened that caused the death of his son.