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Samoa Police Report

joyetter@samoanews.com

TODDLER BURNED TO DEATH AFTER HOUSE CAUGHT ON FIRE

Apia, SAMOA — Samoa’s police are investigating the death of a one-year old toddler who was burned to death when their home caught fire in Lauli’i, Samoa over the weekend.

Superintendent and Police Spokesperson Su’a LeMamea Tiumalu confirmed with Samoa News about the investigation along with the death of the toddler. He also pointed out that police are also looking at how the house caught on fire. Su’a was unable to identify the gender of the toddler although police sources say it was a baby boy.

According to police who did not wish to be named, when the house was on fire, family members who were inside came running out. The police further say that the fire occurred Saturday evening.

Su’a declined to go into details of the case, noting it is a homicide case until proven otherwise and the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) is investigating the matter.

INMATES ASSUALT PRISON GUARD, GET ADDTIONAL JAIL TIME

Inmates Faigame Vaito’elau and Simeki Enesi appeared in court this week for sentencing for the assault of a prison guard who took them to the hospital for medical check ups.

According to the police summary of facts report, on 11 April 2016, the victim went with other prison officers to the hospital in Moto’otua to escort the defendants for medical check ups. After the defendants were seen by the doctor, the victim got into an argument with another prisoner, outside the Out Patient area of the hospital. The police report says inmate Daniel Vailopa picked up a stone and walked towards the victim and another prison guard disarmed Vailopa, but then the victim punched Vailopa.

The police report further stated defendants Faigamea and Simeki, who were placed in the police vehicle with the victim, and on their way to the Apia Police Station, the defendants assaulted the victim.

As a result, the car stopped. When the car stopped, the defendants both got out of the car and walked away. The car left, went and got back-up police officers and returned and were able to pick up the defendants and took them to Apia Police Station.  

District Court Judge Leiataualesa Darryl Clarke pointed out that Faigamea has a lengthy history of criminal offending starting in 2001 when he was 17 years old and he’s been convicted of violent offending including rape, a number of assaults and intentional damage.

“You Faigamea have also been convicted of numerous offenses of dishonesty and breaking prison and escape. You are what is unfortunately known as a career criminal.”

Regarding Simeki, Leiataualesa said he’s prisoner at Tafaigata and his prior conviction record shows one prior conviction for theft as a servant. The District Court Judge pointed out to the defendants the assault that they carried out was against a Prison Officer.

“He was on duty and had taken you both for medical check-ups. For prisoners, they must be quite clear that offending whilst they are prisoners runs a serious risk of further imprisonment. In this case, because your assault was carried out against a Prison Officer, a deterrent sentence must be imposed to hold you accountable for your actions, denounce your conduct and importantly, deter other prisoners from committing the same or a similar offense. In both your cases, a further custodial sentence is warranted.”

Faigame was ordered to serve an additional 14 weeks on top of his current sentence of eight years in jail, while Simeki, received an additional eight weeks in addition to his current sentence of two years.

COURT LENIENT WITH SECURITY GUARD IMPLICATED IN STEALING CASE

Moelata Oloapu was ordered to serve three months in jail following his guilty plea for stealing last month. Oloapu was employed as a security guard at Faleolo Solar Company when the incident occurred in July on site.

According to the police summary of facts report, on July, 22- 23, 2016 the defendant was working at the Faleolo Solar Company. After work, the police report says there were certain items belonging to a contractor that works on the site left outside a container. “These were a steel saw valued at $501.00, a grinder valued at $300.00, a ¾ inch ratchet set valued at $600.00 and a pair of boots valued at $88.00, the total value of which is $1,489.00.” The defendant found these items and stole them.

The contractor spoke with the defendant and reported the items as having been stolen. The defendant told the contractor that people broke into the work site that night in question and stole the said items and the matter was reported to Police. However the defendant was charged for the theft of these items.

Married with four children, the defendant’s wife says he’s a good father and an honest man.

The defendant told the probation officer that the reason he stole the items was that another employee also stole items from the site and he did the same because he was angry with that other worker.

District Court Judge Leiataualesa Darryl Clarke noted the items were returned to the victim and this was due to police investigating the matter and obtaining the items from the defendant. Prosecution sought a sentence of supervision and 40 hours of community work.

However, Leiataualesa said, “The Courts have however clearly enunciated the necessity for deterrence in sentencing when it comes to thefts by security guards, whether as employees of the victim or as a contracted security guard through a security company to the victim.” The defendant was sentenced to three months in jail.