Award-winning novelist Sia Figiel has been charged with the murder of a fellow writer in Samoa. Photo / File
Award-winning novelist Sia Figiel has been charged with the murder of a fellow writer in Samoa. Photo / File
Warning: Graphic content
The murder trial of celebrated and award-winning author Sia Figiel has revealed gruesome details surrounding the death of a fellow writer in Samoa.
Figiel, 58, is facing charges in relation to the death of respected poet, writer and academic Dr Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard, 78, in theisland nation in May last year.
The victim’s body was discovered after Figiel handed herself in to authorities. Police said at the time it was understood that an argument broke out between Figiel and Gabbard before the death.
Figiel’s works are well-known around the Pacific and New Zealand.Her debut novel - Where We Once Belonged - was a bestseller and won the Asia/Pacific Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for fiction in 1997.
Giving evidence via video link, forensic pathologist Dr James Kalougivaki said the cause of death was severe traumatic head injury from extensive blunt force trauma.
“There were multiple lacerations and tears on the skin, likely caused by a blunt object,” he said, according to Samoa Global News.
“There were internal injuries and the bruising and bleeding on the scalp was consistent with a potential weapon - possibly a hammer.”
Kalougivaki said the victim also had multiple cracks in the bones of her left forearm.
A doctor at Samoa’s Moto’otua Hospital, Dr Sebastian Paulo, examined Gabbard’s body, describing it as being in a “traumatic state”.
“So it was difficult to examine due to advanced decay,” he said.
Victim had been dead for days - doctor
Paulo also reported multiple fractures and broken bones in the victim’s left forearm. There were also bruises.
He estimated that the victim had been dead for between three to six days before her body was found.
Preliminary proceedings have heard of Figiel’s struggles with mental illness.
She earlier told a court the devil persuaded her to commit the crime.
The victim is an aunt of American politician and US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Gabbard is an aunt of American politician and US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard - the first Samoan-American to reach Congress.
Figiel was reported to have “cried uncontrollably” behind her lawyer, Unasa Iuni Sapolu, as police forensics described the crime scene and the state of the victim’s body.
