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Alleged rapist set for trial

American Samoa High Court building
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — One of the defendants charged with the alleged rape of two 14-year-old girls has asked the court to set his matter for trial.

Nick Mataia, who is still in custody unable to post a $100,000 bond is charged in two separate cases.

In the first case, Mataia is charged with rape, and two counts of first degree sexual abuse, both felonies, and endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor.

In the second case, Mataia is charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, both felonies.

Mataia appeared before Associate Justice Fiti Sunia yesterday morning for a pretrial conference.

When Mataia’s case was called, his attorney informed the court that they have received all the discovery along with an offer from the government. However, after reviewing the facts of the two cases with his client, they were unable to reach an agreement. He then asked the court to set Mataia’s two cases for trial.

Mataia and two co-defendants, Loma Iosia and Apisaloma Timu are accused of having sexual intercourse with the two minor victims. The government alleges that after they sexually assaulted the two girls, each defendant gave the victims ice (methamphetamine) to smoke.

Iosia and Timu are still in custody, unable to post their $100,000 bond.