Archive - Jun 5, 2012 - Article (News Story)

Local boxing sensation Alapati Aasa, made his professional boxing debut when he stepped into the professional ranks on Thursday, May 31, in Samoa, against long time veteran of the ring, Saipeti Muga Asiata of Samoa, in the inaugural Pacific Rim Boxing Championships, hosted by Samoa as part of their 50th Independence Day Celebration.

Aasa was able to pull out a four round unanimous decision win over the veteran Asiata in the Cruiser Weight Division.

In his Independence Day speech last week, Samoa’s Head of State Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi made the above declaration. And he underscores his reference to his country by alluding to the incident where Samoan families and brothers from opposing sides — New Zealand administered government and Mau Movement — conferred in a conciliatory meeting proved pivotal in Samoa’s march towards independence, gained 50 years ago.

Samoana High School home of the Sharks held their Commencement Exercise for the Class of 2012, as 232 Seniors graduated under the theme — ‘A moment lasts all of that second, but the memory lives on forever’.

This year’s Valedictorian was Ioasa Tu’u, while the Salutatorian honor went to Christine Oriana Hall-Luuga. The Commencement Address was offered by Lieutenant Governor Faoa A. Sunia.

Deputy Attorney General Mitzie Jessop Folau is moving for Trial Division of the High Court to reconsider their order for the government to pay $260,000 to the Public Defender’s office, which is representing Siaumau Siaumau Jr., charged in the murder of police Lt. Liusila Brown and the attempted murder of another police officer.

The former supervisor for the school bus division of the local Department of Education has been sentenced in the federal court in Honolulu in connection with the bribery scheme involving spare parts for school buses.

Gustav Nauer, 47, pled guilty in January last year to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. Nauer, who is out on bail and living in Honolulu since last summer, had faced a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The U.S. Department of State’s Human Rights Report for 2011 on Samoa says that the “principal human rights problems” in the independent South Pacific island nation last year “were poor prison conditions and domestic violence against women”.

The federal agency released last week its annual human rights report on all world countries, including Samoa, a nation of 194,000 people, which concluded marking its 50th year of Independence this week.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Associate Justice Lyle L Richmond, who was accompanied on the bench by Associate Judge Mamea Sala Jr has scheduled for trial the lawsuit by the ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank against Pago Pago Village Council, Inc, (PPVC) over default of a loan made in 2006 for the redevelopment of the Pago Pago Community Center — which was later destroyed in the 2009 tsunami disaster.

Drug defendant Hefa Vahe was scheduled to be sentenced last week Friday however when his case was called the court was told the defendant is still out at sea fishing. Vahe, a Tongan National, is a fisherman charged in connection with a drug case.  

Assistant Public Defender Leslie Cardin, who represents the defendant said Vahe is still out fishing.

Kruse told the defense lawyer the defendant is due for sentencing and he’s also out on bail. “You suggest the court works around his fishing vessel?” Kruse asked the defense lawyer.

HAWAIIAN AIR FLIGHT DELAYED DUE TO MECHANICAL PROBLEM

Hawaiian Airlines’ flight from Honolulu on Sunday night didn’t arrive in Pago Pago until after 2 a.m. yesterday morning and information provided to passengers in the territory said the flight encountered a “mechanical problem” which resulted in the delay.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- A U.S. drone strike in northern Pakistan has killed al-Qaida's second-in-command, American officials said Tuesday, the biggest success so far in the controversial military program and a significant setback to a terror network that has lost a string of top figures since the death of Osama bin Laden last year.