Australian based podcasters have asked the District Court of Samoa to lift the ban on their Maota o Samoa Viiga o le Atua program, stating that the weekly online show hosted by the couple on Sundays, was a source of income for them.
Toleafoa Sai’a Toleafoa and his wife Ainuu Iliganoa Savaiinaea, have applied through their lawyer, Meleisea Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio, for their online program to be resumed.
The couple are facing charges of defamation for accusations made and words uttered during their online program, towards New Zealand based Tautai A’e program host, Asiata Pio Vaoliko.
District Court Judge Alalatoa Rosella Papalii imposed a ban on the Maota o Viiga program last December, stopping it from being aired until the case before the Courts is complete.
Counsel for the defendants informed the Court that his clients are asking for a chance to resume their weekly program.
He said the program has been stopped for more than six months now, and the defendants have lost a source of income.
“Since October 2025 that source of income has been stopped because only the defendant, Toleafoa, works full-time,” said Counsel Lemisio.
“It now raises an unfair financial burden on them and their families..”
Counsel told the Court his clients would like their program to re-open, so they can update their followers.
“What we are asking, Your Honour, is a partial reinstatement of the platform,” he said.
“We are saying that this platform is a source of income for the defendants, and so we are asking the Court if you can allow the platform to be reinstated.”
Mr. Lemisio informed Judge Papalii that it is within her discretion whether to continue the banning of the segment “faatalatalanoaga ma le taitaisili” just as long as the program is running again.
“It is up to Your Honour if you decide to continue with the ban on Fa’atalatalanoaga ma le Taitaisili..
“Then that should allow them to re-gather their support from the followers and hopefully it will reach the threshold where they can start earning some sort of income from that platform,” Lemisio said.
In response, prosecutor Magele Leone Su’a Mailo opposed the application.
Mailo argued the prosecution is relying on three videos of the Maota-o-Vi’iga programs from 2024.
Prosecution said the language used is vulgar and defamatory, which is why the broadcast should remain on hold.
Judge Papalii had adjourned the matter to this coming Friday to deliver her decision on all applications before her, including the complainant’s request to give evidence from overseas.
There is also another application as to whether courts in Samoa have jurisdiction since the complainant resides in New Zealand, and the program is broadcasted from Australia.
Ainuu and Toleafoa each face three counts of harassment using electronic communication and criminal libel under sections 219, 117A, and 33 of the Crimes Act 2013.
They have pleaded not guilty and remain on strict bail conditions. Their pre-trial conference is scheduled for the second week of July 2026.
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