Ads by Google Ads by Google

Court Report

MACHETE ASSAULT THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS LANDS MAN IN JAIL

 

The Attorney General’s office has charged Viliamu Segio with second degree assault and public peace disturbance stemming from an incident which occurred the day before Christmas. Segio made his initial appearance in the District Court yesterday. According to the government’s case, on December 24, 2013 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) contacted the Department of Public Safety regarding an incident where a machete was used and police officer Devon Mata’u was assigned to investigate the case.

 

The government’s case claims police spoke to the victim’s wife who stated she was getting ready for church when her sister yelled out to her that her husband had sustained an injury to his head. The woman contacted EMS and police for assistance.

 

The government’s case says that on the night of the incident police were unable to locate the defendant in Fagali’i nor the machete which was alleged to have been used by Segio.

 

Police proceeded to the hospital and the treating physician said the victim sustained a cut that was 7.5 centimeters long, 5.5 centimeters deep and was close to the bone, say court filings. It’s alleged the incident occurred over a flash drive.

 

Court filings say Segio asked the victim’s wife for the flash drive which contained music that he (the defendant) wanted to listen to, however the victim interrupted and told his wife to just get ready for church. The victim told police this upset Segio who began to wrestle with him, however he stopped and then left the victim’s house.

 

It’s alleged that when the victim exited his house he saw the defendant coming toward him with a machete which he used to strike him on the head. The victim said he was still conscious after the blow to his head and noticed blood rushing down his face when his wife came to his aid.

 

Segio told police he recalled asking the victim for the flash drive however he did not recall what the victim said which made him upset. The defendant stated he was intoxicated and remembered “holding a machete in his hands, and upon realizing that there was an injured person” he got rid of the machete but did not remember where he put it.

 

BRANDON VAIULA CHARGED WITH FORGERY

 

A man accused of forgery made his initial appearance in the District Court yesterday, with bail set at $5,000. Brandon Vaiula is facing forgery, a class C felony punishable with up to seven years in jail, a fine of up to $5,000 or both. The incident came to light with police when the victim, who owns two ASG checks issued in his name, had those checks allegedly cashed by the defendant in April, 2013.

 

Court filings say police spoke to the victim who stated he had received two government checks and placed them in his desk on April 10, 2013, however the next day when he arrived at his office both checks were missing.

 

The victim stated he drove around to stores to see if the defendant had cashed the checks,  and when he went into T.I Inc store, he saw video footage of the defendant using his (the victim’s) drivers license for identification and cashing the check for the amount of $1,324.54.

 

The owner showed the victim the check and reported the matter to police. The store owner told police the defendant came into the store three times to cash government checks, and the owner told Vaiula that in order for him to cash the check he must provide a valid ID.

 

“The defendant came to the store, signed the victim’s name, endorsed the check and presented the victim’s driver’s license for verification and he was given $1,324.54 after which the defendant took the money and bought groceries.”

 

The defendant did not have permission to take the victim’s license or to endorse and cash the check, according to court filings.