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Court Report

[SN file photo]
ausage@samoanews.com

ALEKI FIDEL 

A young man who was accused of stealing a carton of cigarettes from an Asian store in Fagaima has been charged with misdemeanor stealing and public peace disturbance.

Aleki Fidel made his initial appearance before District Court Judge Pro-Temp, Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde last week, where his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Ryan Nelson requested that his client be released on his own recognizance.

The motion was granted by the court under certain conditions —Fidel is to remain drug and alcohol free, and he is not to have any direct or indirect contact with the government’s witnesses, or try to enter the Asian store where the incident is alleged to have happened.

According to the government, it was around 11:00 p.m. on Nov. 23, 2017 that police got the call that an intoxicated man stole items from an Asian store in Fagaima.

The storeowner told police the defendant came in asking for a carton of green Camel cigarettes and after she placed the item on the counter, Fidel put it in his backpack.

Afterwards, the defendant asked for a case of Vailima.

When the owner walked towards the back to get the beer, Fidel fled but the owner chased after him for payment of the cigarettes.

The defendant was apprehended and placed in the storeowner’s car to await police, after Fagaima residents that witnessed the chase assisted.

Fidel’s next Court appearance is set for Dec. 15th.

SAIPALE VAIGAFA

A 19-year-old male who is accused of walking around his neighborhood peeking into family homes has been arrested and charged with public peace disturbance and underage drinking.

Saipale Vaigafa made his initial appearance in the District Court last week, where he was ordered to pay a $100 bond before being released from prison.

Once he pays up, he is ordered to stay away from the homes of the families that were allegedly affected by his actions.

According to the government, it was around 2:17 a.m. on Nov. 23rd that a woman from Futiga called the Leone Sub-station regarding a kid walking around their neighborhood peeking into homes.

Officers who responded to the call noticed a young kid walking on the road near the area where the call came from. He was later identified as Saipale Vaigafa.

While police officers were talking to Vaigafa, another male approached them aggressively and informed them that this was the guy who peeked into their homes.

Vaigafa was immediately placed in the police unit for safety reasons while police interviewed the witness who said it was his wife who called police for assistance, because the defendant followed his sister-in-law to their house.

The witness said Vaigafa didn't leave but instead, was peeking into their house until he chased him away.

When asked by police how he knew the witness's sister-in-law, Vaigafa said they met at a party and the lady had asked him to come by her house to hang out.

When police questioned the woman, she confirmed that she saw the defendant at a party, but she didn't know where he's from or who he is.

She denied telling him to come over to the house to hang out.

During questioning, police detected a strong odor of alcohol on Vaigafa, whose next court appearance is set for Dec. 15th.

WESLEY MAPU

A man suspected of burglarizing the home of a Chinese couple in Nu’uuli has been charged for interfering with a police investigation.

Wesley Mapu is facing two misdemeanor charges: public peace disturbance and interfering with a police investigation. He made his initial appearance in District Court last week, where Judge Pro-Temp, Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde set his bail at $200.

If he's able to post bond, Mapu is ordered to stay away from the home of the Chinese couple, and he is not to have any direct or indirect contact with the plaintiffs or any of the government's witnesses.

According to police, at around 10:58 p.m. on Nov. 23rd, the landlord — an elderly Samoan lady — contacted police about a burglary.

An Asian couple rents the home in question.

When police arrived at the scene, they spoke to the landlord and in the middle of the conversation, a male, later identified as the defendant, entered the house uninvited and yelled at the landlord's son saying, he didn't break into the house.

Mapu, in the presence of police, then tried to pick a fight with the landlord's son, asking him, "What do you want?"

Even after police officers ordered him to get out of the house and leave the property, Mapu continued to threaten the landlord's son, clenching his fists and telling him, "You'll see what I'm going to do to you!"

Police officers then arrested the defendant for interfering with their investigation.

According to the police affidavit, before Mapu was escorted out of the house, the Chinese couple identified him as one of the people present when the Chinese man was robbed two weeks before, while he was in possession of a bag containing $2,600 cash, three personal phones, and multiple identification cards.

Mapu is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 15th for a pretrial conference.