According to the Australian Federal Police and the Samoa law enforcement agency, these two people - one with New Zealand nationality and one as a Samoan citizen - face the highest penalty of life imprisonment on charges of conspiracy to commit murder. Both were brought to court on September 16 and released on conditional release, AFP reported on September 17.
Previously, two other men, including Vaa Vaa (27 years old) and Tafia Steve (23 years old), both of Samoa nationality, were arrested in Vietnam on May 24 in connection with the murder. These people admitted to carrying out the shooting in Ho Chi Minh City under the direction of an individual abroad.
On May 27, Samoa police arrested a New Zealand citizen (31 years old) for police fraud and corruption during the investigation of a case while trying to escape from Samoa.
Federal Australian police have supported Samoa police in the investigation, leading to the prosecution of the aforementioned New Zealand citizen and another Samoan (33 years old). Both of these people are accused by Samoan police of plotting with Vaa Vaa and Tafia Steve to carry out the murder in Vietnam.
Samoa police accused two suspects of plotting to kill Lorenzo Lemalu, who is believed to be the leader of an organized crime group called "Coconut Cartel" in Sydney. Another man was also seriously injured in the attack.
