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Cop arrested on sexual assault allegations — 48 hour hold

The family of the 19-year-old female ASCC student who has filed an official complaint against a senior officer of the Traffic Division with the Department of Public Safety will be making a request to  Commissioner Save Liuato Tuitele not to allow the Criminal Investigation Division to investigate this case.

 

The police officer was arrested on Saturday evening, as he’s accused of sexually assaulting the 19-year-old who he dropped off in Nu’uuli Saturday morning. The officer was arrested for 48 hours, as per the law, and this was confirmed by the DPS Commissioner.

 

According to a family member there is a conflict of interest if the CID investigates this matter, because the CID Commander is a close personal friend of the accused. According to the family member, the young girl is a classmate of the police officer, and they worked on a project together with three other female students at the Juvenile Detention Center.

 

It’s alleged that following the event at the Detention Center, the officer dropped off the other girls and then came back to the Juvenile Detention Center and picked up the victim.

 

The family member said the girl was supposed to be dropped off to her parents at the Jade Restaurant in Nu’uuli — however the girl was shocked when they passed the restaurant and the vehicle went and parked behind the Laufou Shopping Center. It’s alleged that’s where the incident occurred.

 

In the meantime, Samoa News reached out to CID Commander Lavata’i Ta’ase Sagapolutele for a comment regarding the complaint by the family that there is a conflict of interest, but he declined to comment. However, detectives told Samoa News that the call to arrest the officer came from the CID Commander.

 

One detective also told Samoa News that the CID Commander is not investigating this case. Samoa News further received calls from Tafuna Correctional Facility inmates claiming that the officer is walking around at the TCF, as he’s not housed at the Maximum Security Facility like every other prisoner who’s arrested by the police.

 

Samoa News contacted Save to ask if the accused officer will be placed on leave and the DPS Commissioner stated that it’s too early to discuss leave for the accused officer. He said that charges have yet to be filed, as they are waiting on the Attorney General’s office, who has already received the police report.

 

Deputy Attorney General Mitzie Jessop Ta’ase told Samoa News they are working together with DPS on this matter.