Fuimaono-Sapolu stands up for Losi Filipo

07 October 2016, 12:00AM

Former Manu Samoa player, Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu has hit out against the media coverage of the Losi Filipo case saying the facts were “slanted and exaggerated” at the player’s expense.

The outspoken player and lawyer slammed the coverage by Newshub on his Facebook page saying the reporting of the pre-sentencing indication for Losi Filipo over his involvement in an altercation with four people in the early hours of October 11 last year was a “horribly slanted exaggerated version of the case to sensationalise at the expense of Filipo and his family”.

Filipo was discharged without conviction for assaulting four people, causing an outcry from his victims. Police have now appealed the sentence.

This is an edited version of what Fuimaono-Sapolu wrote:

“I just read Judge’s Sentencing Indication on Losi Filipo case. 

1) The judge said Filipo RESPONDED, not initiated. He reacted to what happened to him first. This was nicely left out by NewsHub.

2) Judge said assaults on women were not serious and in the nature of pushing and shoving. Not punches Newshub said.

3) The judge did NOT make his decision because Filipo has a potential rugby career. The Judge wrote 8, EIGHT, long paragraphs of all sorts of mitigating factors to be weighed up. He only wrote 1 SHORT paragraph about Filipo’s potential rugby career and another paragraph explaining that it is not the rugby that is important. Its the possible career. A potential career in ANYTHING is considered.

4) I only show 2 paragraphs of what Filipo has done since. The extensive restorative work done by Filipo, his family and friends was not published by NewsHub.

5) NewsHub said, ‘Judge said conventional sentencing would demand a starting point of at least one-and-a-half years’ imprisonment’. But then they miss out the big paragraph immediately following outline all the mitigating factors as to why, in conventional sentencing, Filipo would NOT go to jail.

5) I think the Justice system, as it is today, along with the Law society, is a crooked white male supremacist colonial artifact that needs to be demolished and rebuilt, BUUUuuuT in this instance, Judge got it right

I screenshot some of the paragraphs only because you aint going to get it if you leave it white media outlets. Newshub, ONEnews, etc dont give two s**** about our brown ass. Do a little work. You got up off your ass to chase imaginary Pokemon. This was a horribly slanted exaggerated version of the case to sensationalize at the expense of Filipo and his family. And while the raping Roastbusters toast freedom and future careers, our ignorance in riding with redneck fervour has helped destroy another young Polynesian’s career. You have a super computer in your pocket. Try using it to catch out mainstream sometimes instead of just consuming it.

07 October 2016, 12:00AM
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