Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Samoa churches back call for sex offenders register

Posted at 01:50 on 04 February, 2013 UTC

Samoa’s National Council of Churches is backing the call by a Supreme Court judge to get a sex offenders registry in place as soon as possible.

The council’s General Secretary, Reverend Maauga Motu, says there have been too many sexual offence cases going through Samoa’s courts, with many involving child victims.

He says a registry could help raise awareness and deter people from committing such crimes if they knew their name and photo would be publicised if caught.

“I think that’s a very very correct call. I think it is a must for the court to go on with a registry of those sex offenders.”

Samoa’s National Council of Churches General Secretary Reverend Maauga Motu.