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Court Report

[SN file photo]
fili@samoanews.com

SIERRA ISAIA 

Through his defense attorney Public Defender Douglas Fiaui, drug defendant Sierra Isaia entered a not guilty plea last week Wednesday to a single count of unlawful possession of crystal methamphetamine (ice).

The plea was entered during arraignment where Acting Associate Justice Elvis P. Patea set a pre-trial conference for Feb. 2, 2018.

Isaia, who is out on bail, has a separate drug case pending in High Court as well.

His most recent drug case is a result of being found once again in possession of ice, after he was stopped by police and served a bench warrant for failure to appear in the High Court when his pretrial conference for the first case was called three weeks ago.

JOSEPH T. YANDALL

The defense attorney for Joseph T. Yandall has informed the High High Court that the defense is looking at holding a couple of depositions.

A hearing for Yandall was held last week in High Court where attorney Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde said the defense has not completed discovery and requested trial for her client towards the end of 2018. As part of its discovery, she said the defense is “looking at holding a couple of depositions” in this case.

Firm trial date for Yandall, who is out on bail, is set for Dec. 3, 2018. Yandall is facing charges in a case involving two minor females.

TIMATA NAEA

A 27-year old man who escaped from District Court two weeks ago, was arraigned in High Court last Friday and entered not guilty pleas to 10 counts. The not guilty pleas were made by Public Defender Douglas Fiaui on behalf of his client, Timata Naea, who remains in custody unable to post bail.

As previously reported by Samoa News, Naea escaped from District Court while there for one of his hearings. He was later apprehended by police. Among the charges faced by the defendant is first-degree burglary and stealing — both felonies.

Pre trial conference is set for Feb. 27, 2018

FUIVAI SUA AND LUALIMA TALIU

Two men, who are both in custody unable to post bail, and accused by the government of stealing and burglary, will go to trial next year, as no plea agreement has been reached between the defense and prosecutor.

Fuivai Sua is charged with one felony count of stealing, and Lualima Taliu, charged with one count each of felony stealing and burglary.

The pair were in High Court last Friday for pre trial conference hearing where Public Defender Douglas Fiaui informed Acting Associate Justice Elvis P. Patea that “we have not reached an agreement” and the defenses is prepared for trial.

Charges against the defendants stem from an incident in July this year where the pair allegedly broke into a home and took off with personal property. The homeowner was off island during the time of the alleged break-in and only learned of the incident when he returned to the territory

Among the stolen property were 10 cases of pisupo, 10 cases of wahoo, a gold chain, DVD players along with DVDs, and clothing that included several men’s suits.

During the investigation, police were able to interview witnesses, who stated that the defendants had sold the cases of pisupo to families. Police were able to locate the defendants and interview them.