A man accused of throwing a pig’s head in a Queensland church where Samoa’s prime minister was speaking faces an extradition hearing over conspiracy to murder.

September 22, 2020

A man accused of throwing a pig’s head and dog food in a Queensland church to insult the visiting Samoan prime minister is set to face an extradition hearing over conspiracy to murder.

Talalelei Pauga, 43, was charged with committing public nuisance over the alleged November 2018 incident at Logan’s St Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Parish, south of Brisbane.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was speaking about the launch of new Samoa Airways routes when Mr Pauga allegedly yelled abuse and hurled meat products and chicken manure to the floor.

A business associate of Mr Pauga, who preferred not to be named, says the incident was a protest against alleged Samoan cultural land rights abuses.

“Throwing a pig’s head in Samoa is a cultural insult to show disgust,” he told AAP outside Brisbane Magistrates Court.

The dog food and chicken manure were also symbolic, he said.

Mr Pauga was also protesting over alleged corruption and misuse of international aid funds in the tiny Pacific nation.

Queensland prosecutors later dropped the public nuisance charge.

But Mr Pauga was rearrested on August 20 this year after Samoa made an extradition request to the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department.

“Mr Pauga is wanted to face prosecution in Samoa for the offence of conspiracy to murder,” a spokesman said in a statement sent to AAP.

His lawyer Greg Finlayson says Mr Pauga has not been charged with an offence in Australia.

The extradition application is scheduled to be heard by the court on Tuesday, along with an application for Mr Pauga’s release from Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre.

Outside court, the business associate said Mr Pauga had lived in Brisbane for most of his life and holds Australian citizenship.

“It’s been tough for him since he was arrested. We weren’t able to contact him for weeks,” he said.