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Former O&O manager will be arraigned on Friday

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reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The former O&O manager being charged with two other former company employees for stealing has waived her right to a preliminary examination.

Siueli Blake appeared in District Court yesterday morning.

She is represented by Assistant Public Defender Ryan Anderson while prosecuting the case is Assistant Attorney General Laura Garvey.

Judge Fiti Sunia has scheduled Blake's arraignment for tomorrow, Jan. 11, in High Court, where she is expected to enter a 'not guilty' plea.

Blake is being held in custody on a 'no bail' status due to her immigration situation. The court was informed earlier this month that Blake's ID expired in 2015 and currently, her sponsor is off island. When Sunia asked for an update yesterday, defense counsel Anderson said there have been no new developments with regards to his client's immigration status.

Blake's co-defendants, Kalala Leilua and Arona Ma'a, are set for preliminary examinations today in District Court. Bail is set at $20,000 for Leilua and $5,000 for Ma'a.

According to the government's case, the three are alleged to have taken items from O&O wholesale and then selling them to a retail store in Nuuuli.

Blake allegedly told police that she and Leilua wanted extra money so they asked Ma'a for a contact number to reach the owner of Lucky Seven Retail Store in Nuuuli. According to her, they've known that Ma'a was stealing items from O&O Wholesale for Lucky Seven. She said when the money was split, she would "always have the biggest share."

The criminal complaint notes that the total amount of the items stolen from O&O (involving Ma'a, as well as Blake and Leilua) is $19,808.92.