Samoa's Associate Minister of Agriculture, Va'ele Paia'aua Iona Sekuini, has passed away.

A member of the Fa'atuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi party (FAST) confirmed the first time MP for Gagaifomauga 2 electoral constituency, Va'ele Paia'aua Iona Sekuini died unexpectedly this morning, according to the Samoa Observer.

No details were immediately available on the cause of death of the farmer who won the seat in the April 2021 General Elections.

Va'ele was appointed chairman of the Parliamentary Finance Committee when the FAST party took control of the government.

After working and living in Apia for several years he decided to move back to his home village of Matāvai, Safune in Savai'i where he started a plantation and a retail store.

"When I moved back to Savai'i, I started my own plantation and I discovered that there is a lot of wealth hidden there in our soils," Va'ele told the newspaper after his election win.

Va'ele was also recently appointed as a member of the Special Parliamentary Committee tasked to investigate discrepancies in the Land and Titles Court Act 2020.

He is survived by his wife Matimaivasa and their children.