Honiara, Solomon Islands:

An international scandal broke out Thursday over a beauty contest in the Pacific, affected by allegations of fraud, “degrading treatment” by competitors and death threats against judges who were prevented from returning home.

Miss Pacific Islands-Competition-called as an effort to stimulate friendship in the region-crowned Litara Ieremiaa-Allan in Samoa as the winner of this year’s competition, held Saturday in Solomon Islands Capital Honiara.

But each harmony was broken down quickly, with Solomon’s authorities that initiated a police investigation of “alleged fraudulent activities” and took statements from judges who were subjected to temporary “stop messages” that prevented them from crossing the country’s borders.

Miss Pacific Islands competition “deeply recognizes and regrets the distress caused by the latest disputes about the results,” the organizers said in a statement on social media Thursday.

“Unfortunately, these accusations have escalated in the extent of exposing competitors to humiliate the treatment and issue threats to the lives of some judges and thus affect the friendship and ethos in the competition.”

It gave no further details about the charges.

The Solomon Islands government said Wednesday that it had raised the stop messages on competition judges.

But it defended the step from the Interior Minister and said that allegations of fraud before Miss Samoa’s profit “were considered serious against the relevant laws in the Solomon Islands”.

Two judges escaped the action because they had already left, the government said in a statement.

‘Noble goals’

Judge captured by the order “was not arrested and is given the freedom to move around Honiara City”.

“The stop message was necessary to ensure that all judges were present to provide information or assistance in the investigation to solve the issue of fraud was involved in the final results,” the government said.

The Solomon Islands said that charges can follow the investigation, and it may notify US Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu if it needs further information or action.

Earlier this week, Samoa’s government demanded to know why its judge, LeiataUalesa Jerry Brunt, had been prevented from leaving Honiara.

Competition organizers nevertheless expanded their “cordial congratulations” to the new Miss Pacific Islands and wishes her “every success” in her reign.

“Miss Pacific Islands competition was set up with the precious goal of reconciling young women from the Pacific to promote cultural exchange, friendship and a uniform voice for positive transformation,” they said.

“Although they meet recent adversities, these resilient young Pacific have succeeded in cultivating genuine friendship and embodies the basic values ​​that are in the heart of the competition.”

(In addition to the heading, this story has not been edited by the NDTV staff and published from a syndicated flow.)