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PX postponed for woman detained in Pago Pago raid

COURT REPORT
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The preliminary examination (PX) which was scheduled for one of the three defendants arrested by police during a raid in Pago Pago last month is now rescheduled to Thursday this week.

Meriko Lomu, who is still in custody unable to post her $30,000 surety bond appeared last Friday morning for her PX hearing. She is charged with violating the drug laws of American Samoa.

She is represented by private attorney Marcellus T. Uiagalelei, while prosecuting the case is Assistant Attorney General, Christy Dunn.

When the case was called, Dunn asked the court for another continuance, stating that the government is looking at filing additional charges against the defendant. She did not elaborate.

She also informed the court that she has already spoke with the defense counsel about this situation, and Uiagalelei is aware of the government’s move.

District Court Judge Pro Temp, Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde granted the government’s motion for a continuance, and then rescheduled Lomu’s PX hearing to Thursday this week at 10:30a.m.

SINIVA SIAUMAU

A young girl who was arrested by police and charged for disturbing the peace inside her home two weeks ago was arrested again last week for PPD.

Siniva Siaumau made her initial appearance in District Court, where Judge Pro Temp, Gwen Tauiliili-Langkilde ordered that she be released on her own recognizance under certain conditions.

She is to keep the peace at her home at all times, and she is to refrain from bothering her cousin who was the victim in her new case. She was also ordered to obey all laws of the territory and to stay in close contact with her attorney, Assistant Public Defender, Ryan Anderson.

According to the government’s case, it was around 6 p.m on Jun 12, 2018 when the defendant disturbed the peace at their home, by allegedly throwing things around the house such as books and bags, which broke louvers inside the house. She also assaulted her cousin and yelled profanities.

To keep the peace inside their home, her grandmother then escorted her to the police station and requested that police officers take her to the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF) in Tafuna, because she (the grandmother) wanted peace.

The defendant was then booked and confined at TCF for one night, before making her initial appearance the next morning in District Court, June 13.

Her next court appearance is June 29, and Tauiliili-Langkilde ordered her to comply with conditions of her release from her previous case.