Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A young man with several bench warrants including a huge amount of traffic fines owed to the court was arrested last week on allegations of unlawful possession of illegal drugs.

Fidelis Taumalua made his initial appearance in District Court last week. He was represented by Assistant Public Defender, Anna Wells, while prosecuting the case was Assistant Attorney General, Laura Garvey.

Taumalua is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, to wit; methamphetamine, a class D felony.

Judge Fiti Sunia established Taumalua’s bail at $2,000 cash.

If he posts bond, the court has ordered that he pay his outstanding fines of $850, remain law abiding, not leave or attempt to leave the territory, and he has to surrender his travel documents to the government’s attorney. He is also not to make any direct or indirect contact with all the government’s witnesses.

During his initial appearance, counsel Wells asked the court to squash the two bench warrants the court issued to arrest her client. She said her client was unaware of his court hearings.

Sunia informed Taumalua that whenever he is ordered to appear in court, it’s his duty to make the court his first priority.

“If you post your bond, make sure you make all of your court appearances; if you fail, the court will find you and hold you at the TCF without bail until the matter is resolved. So, take this first incident as a lesson for you,” Sunia informed Taumalua.

Taumalua is scheduled to appear in court this Friday, Oct. 05th at 10:30 a.m for his preliminary examination.

THE AFFIDAVIT

On Sept. 23, 2018, police stopped a pick up in Nu’uuli during a traffic stop for a false plate.

Police impounded the vehicle and later discovered a clear glass pipe with a usable amount of methamphetamine inside. An inventory was conducted by two other cops who discovered two glass pipes containing crystalline substances, along with several empty small zip lock baggies commonly used to package methamphetamine, on the passenger side.

Three individuals were inside the vehicle: the male driver, who was later identified as Matavale Vevesi; Taumalua, who was sitting on the passenger side, and a female, identified as Taumalua's ex girlfriend.

When police requested a driver’s license from the driver, the man told them he forgot to bring his license with him. When asked for some sort of identification, nothing was produced.

Information from the Fagatogo dispatcher to the investigating officers revealed that the vehicle is registered under Matavale Vevesi, who had a driver’s license, but it was expired.

During the course of the investigation, Taumalua's ex girlfriend told cops that there was another glass pipe that Taumalua hid under his seat.

Officers went back to the vehicle to check the seat and discovered a glass pipe containing meth.

When questioned by police, the driver said he had no knowledge of the glass pipes and drug paraphernalia that were found inside his vehicle. He said Taumalua was the one  responsible for everything that was recovered from the vehicle. He further stated to police that he saw Taumalua hiding something under his seat when their vehicle was pulled over, but he did not see what was it.

The driver was cited for driving a vehicle with false plates but was later released pending an investigation.

The female passenger was also interviewed and she told police that when they were getting pulled over, she saw Taumalua place a glass pipe containing meth under his seat with a pouch. She further told police that Taumalua instructed her to hide the glass pipe, but she did not do as she was told.

The female passenger was also released pending further investigation.

When confronted by police, Taumalua verbally stated that he doesn't know who owns the glass pipes discovered inside the vehicle, adding that he borrowed the vehicle from the owner to use last Friday, Sept. 21st.

Taumalua refused to provide a written statement to police.

The crystalline substance from the clear glass pipe discovered on Taumalua was tested and yielded positive results for meth.