Leafa Vitale, 57, the former women's affairs minister,...

Leafa Vitale, 57, the former women's affairs minister, and Toi Aukuso, 68, former communications minister, were sentenced to death by hanging for plotting the murder of a cabinet colleague who had spearheaded a drive against corruption. Vitale and Aukuso were found guilty of ordering the assassination of Luagalau Levaula Kamu, the Public Works Minister, who was shot in the back at a political gathering last July. Vitale's son, Alatise, admitted pulling the trigger and at first denied his father had been involved. Later he testified that he and Aukuso were behind the killing. Alatise Vitale's death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment by the Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II.