The victim of a controversial hogtied incident in Lefagaoali'i, Savai'i, maintained his statement in court on Friday, reaffirming that he was tackled, tied up, and forcibly carried by untitled men and matai from the village. 

The accused individuals, however, disputed his account, leading to a tense exchange during cross-examination.

So'oalo Asiata Manu, the victim, was called to the witness stand, where he faced questions from prosecutor Magele Leone Sua Mailo and defence counsel Alex Sua. 

The case is being presided over by Supreme Court Judge Justice Leiataualesa Daryl Clarke. 

During the proceedings, Magele pressed So'oalo to clarify whether he was tackled by the defendants, as his original statement to the police suggested. 

So'oalo responded with a firm assertion: “Lying is bad; nothing good comes from it. Fear no one but God,” refusing to deviate from his earlier testimony.

Despite his conviction, Magele insisted on further clarification, asking So'oalo to recall the events leading up to his assault and capture. 

The victim, however, repeated what he said, insinuating that the defendants were lying. 

Justice Clarke intervened, urging So'oalo to answer directly, reminding him that the court's role was to determine the truth of the events based on the evidence presented.

According to So'oalo’s testimony, the untitled men and matai of the village encircled him before lifting him off the ground and throwing him down. 

He claimed that one of the defendants, Lemana Pene, struck him on the head with a hard object, causing his hat to fall off. 

So'oalo described being kicked and beaten while on the ground but stated that he did not feel the blows, attributing his lack of sensation to being “covered by the spirit of God.”

Once restrained, So'oalo claimed the untitled men tied him up, hogtied him, and carried him from his house to the village malae (field). 

He recounted being dropped several times during the journey, asking his captors why they kept dropping him. 

So'oalo said the defendants responded that they were tired. 

He also noted that he requested the men to tighten the ropes on his wrists, as they had started to loosen, and asked them to take turns carrying him due to his heavy weight. 

So'oalo testified that the ordeal lasted between 40 to 60 minutes, though the defendants contended it lasted less than 30 minutes.

When Sua cross-examined So'oalo, he stuck to his account of being tackled and beaten. 

However, when asked about the head injury, So'oalo stated that he felt a punch to the head but was unsure of the identity of the person who hit him. 

He further explained that he was able to track the time of the incident using his watch, stating that he noted the time when he was tied up and the time he arrived at the village field, allegedly covered in blood.

The courtroom was packed with family members and relatives of the defendants and the victim from Lefagaoali'i. 

The case is tied to a complaint from the village’s Catholic Church deacon, who claimed So'oalo had entered his property while intoxicated and made disrespectful remarks about the deacon and the village matai. 

This led to a meeting in September 2023, where the matai decided to banish So'oalo from the village. The defendants present at the meeting were instructed to enforce the banishment by forcibly removing So'oalo from his home if he did not comply.

The defendants, 10 in total pleaded guilty to kidnapping. The charges stemmed from the events of 13 September 2023, when they allegedly assaulted and abducted So'oalo. 

The assault reportedly caused So'oalo to sustain injuries, including abrasions to his wrists and legs, profuse bleeding from his neck, and dehydration. 

Among the accused is Aitauia Ioasa Lemau, who admitted to kidnapping but denied the charge of attempted murder.

The case remains ongoing as the court deliberates on the evidence presented.