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District Court hears a number of cases involving force

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reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 21-year-old man who allegedly assaulted a student at Fagaitu'a High School made his initial appearance in District Court yesterday morning.

Viliamu Musu is charged with third degree assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and public peace disturbance.

According to what the victim told police, this past Monday, March 25th, at the FHS campus, while he was lying on his cousin's lap, Musu approached him and asked what his name was.

The victim said before he could respond, Musu collared him and punched him in the eye. He said Musu wanted to know if he was the one who was trying to hook his girlfriend up with another guy. According to the victim, Musu then punched him on the mouth.

Musu, his girlfriend, and the victim were all taken into the school principal's office to await police. According to the court affidavit, the victim sustained an abrasion on his upper lip and a bruised right eye, as a result of the alleged assault.

In addition to his new case, a report from the court clerk's office noted that Musu has outstanding fines totaling $120

 Judge Elvis P. Patea pointed out that the fines/restitution were ordered back in 2014 and added that some kind of bail should be established for Musu, despite a request from defense attorney, Assistant Public Defender Rob McNeill to release Musu on his own recognizance.

Musu was remanded back to custody with bail set at $200

If he is able to post bail, Musu is ordered to remain law abiding, not leave or attempt to leave the territory without the court's permission, and he is to make no direct or indirect contact with the victim. He is also ordered to stay away from the Fagaitua HS campus.

Musu's next court appearance is scheduled for April 30

MAN CHARGED FOR PUNCHING HIS WIFE

The case against a man charged with assaulting his wife in front of their minor children during the late hours of Mar. 25th in Vaitogi has been transferred to the Family, Drug and Alcohol (FDA) court where a pretrial conference is scheduled for April 29th.

(In the interest of protecting the victim, Samoa News is withholding the defendant's identity).

According to the criminal complaint, the victim told police that she had answered her husband's phone and a female on the other end of the line said, “Hello babe”.

The victim said she confronted her husband afterwards and asked if he was having an affair. According to the government's case, the defendant "got mad" and punched his wife in the face and on the head, in the presence of their children.

Investigators who responded to the call for assistance said the victim had a red mark on the side of her left eye. They also noted that the defendant, 30, reeked of alcohol and his eyes were blood shot red when they took him in.

Judge Elvis P. Patea released the man on his own recognizance and ordered him to be law abiding, remain alcohol and drug free, and maintain the peace at home. The defendant has been warned not to harass, assault, annoy, disturb, or threaten the physical well being of his wife and children.

The defendant made his initial appearance yesterday and he is charged with third degree assault and private peace disturbance.

ALEKI LETULIGASENOA

A man arrested for allegedly threatening his uncle with a golf club has been charged with public peace disturbance and third degree assault.

Aleki Letuligasenoa made his initial appearance in District Court yesterday morning where he entered a 'not guilty' plea to the charges against him.

According to the court affidavit, police were contacted for assistance in Iliili on March 25th by the defendant's sister. When police arrived, they found Letuligasenoa at a nearby laundromat, where he fled to, after the victim told him he was contacting police.

According to the victim, he had told his nephew - the defendant - to cut the grass. However, Letuligasenoa went to the golf course instead. When he returned, his uncle asked if he had done as he was told and the defendant said no. Angrily, according to court documents, Letuligasenoa told his uncle that he was "going to do it now."

In response, the uncle told the defendant that he is no longer welcomed at home, and to go look for somewhere else to stay. Letuligasenoa is alleged to have grabbed a "big rock" and threw it at his uncle. But it missed the victim by a few inches.

The victim told police he "tried to look for something to protect him" from his nephew but he couldn't. Letuligasenoa is alleged to have stood in front of his uncle with a golf club in hand, trying to hit him with it.

The victim told police he tried backing up but Letuligasenoa kept "intimidating" him by trying to swing the golf club at him. The victim warned his nephew that he was going to call the cops and that's when he fled to the nearby laundromat.

When investigators arrived at the scene, the victim indicated that he wanted his nephew taken into custody, for being "disrespectful" (le mafaufau).

In court yesterday, defense attorney Assistant Public Defender Rob McNeill said the uncle — who is the victim — is okay with Letuligasenoa returning home.

He then asked to release his client on his own recognizance. But Judge Elvis P. Patea denied the request, setting bail at $300 as it was revealed that Letuligasenoa has owed $200 to the court for outstanding fines issued over 2 years ago.

"If he is welcomed back home, he must maintain the peace there," Judge Patea warned.

A pretrial conference is scheduled for April 30.