![Miss Pacific Islands Beauty Pageant Hit By Fraud Row Miss Pacific Islands Beauty Pageant Hit By Fraud Row](https://c.ndtvimg.com/2025-02/gjr2l27o_miss-pacific-islands2025_625x300_13_February_25.jpeg?downsize=773:435)
An international scandal erupted Thursday over a Pacific islands beauty pageant, hit by allegations of fraud, "degrading treatment" of contestants, and death threats to judges who were barred from returning home.
The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant -- touted as an endeavour to spur friendship in the region -- crowned Litara Ieremia-Allan of Samoa as the winner of this year's contest, held Saturday in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara.
But any harmony quickly disintegrated, with the Solomons authorities launching a police investigation into "alleged fraudulent activities", and taking statements from judges who were subjected to temporary "stop notices" preventing them from crossing the country's borders.
The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant "recognises and deeply regrets the distress caused by recent disputes concerning the results", organisers said in a statement on social media Thursday.
"Unfortunately, these allegations have escalated to the extent of subjecting contestants to degrading treatment and issuing threats against the lives of certain judges, thereby detrimentally impacting the camaraderie and ethos of the pageant."
It gave no further details of the allegations.
The Solomon Islands' government said Wednesday it had lifted the stop notices on pageant judges.
But it defended the step taken by the home affairs minister, saying allegations of fraud before Miss Samoa's win were "deemed serious against the relevant laws of Solomon Islands".
Two judges escaped the measure because they had already left, the government said in a statement.
'Noble aim'
Judges caught by the order "were not detained and are given the freedom to move around Honiara City".
"The stop notice was necessary to ensure that all judges were present to provide information or assistance in the investigation to resolve the issue of whether fraud was involved in the final results," the government said.
Solomon Islands said charges could follow the investigation, and it may notify American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu if it needs further information or action.
Earlier in the week, Samoa's government demanded to know why its judge, Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt, had been prevented from leaving Honiara.
Pageant organisers nevertheless extended their "heartfelt congratulations" to the new Miss Pacific Islands, wishing her "every success" in her reign.
"The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant was established with the noble aim of uniting young women from the Pacific region to promote cultural exchange, friendship and a unified voice for positive transformation," they said.
"Despite facing recent adversities, these resilient young Pacific women have managed to cultivate genuine friendships, embodying the fundamental values that lie at the heart of the pageant."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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