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Alleged domestic violence against their wives lands three men in jail

American Samoa District Court building
Each believing their wives are being ‘unfaithful’
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Three men were arrested by police on three different occasions two weeks ago in the Tafuna area on allegations that they each assaulted their wives.

The first incident happened in Ottoville, while the other two incidents were reported from Tafeta and Nu’uuli. Alcohol was reportedly involved in all three incidents, as well as the belief by each men that their wives were involved with another man.

The three men made their initial appearances two weeks ago in District Court, with the court releasing one man on his own recognizance, while the other two were remanded to custody on $500 bond each.

Each man is being charged with public peace disturbance (PPD) and third degree assault, both class A misdemeanors, punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of $1,000, or both.

INCIDENT IN OTTOVILLE

The incident in Tafuna happened around 1:12p.m, Saturday afternoon when the defendant allegedly assaulted his wife on the side of the road.

A woman who witnessed the incident when her vehicle passed by the bus stop called police for assistance. The woman, who was later interviewed by police, stated that as she traveled from Iliili to Ottoville, she was shocked to see a young woman fall on the ground when a man punched her in the face.

She slowed down her vehicle in an effort to help the woman however she was afraid for her safety when the man angrily looked at her. The young woman and the man were later identified by police as husband and wife.

The woman told police that she continued driving but turned back in her vehicle to check if the woman was okay. When she saw the woman was alone on the side of the road, she immediately pulled her vehicle over, and exited to see if the woman needed assistance.

She also called the police on her phone before approaching the young woman, who was still lying on the ground, as the husband had already fled the scene.

The wife, who was later identified as the 28-year old victim was bleeding from her mouth and nose. EMS was also contacted for medical assistance, but the victim refused to go to the LBJ Hospital for further treatment.

According to the victim, she was speaking to her girlfriend who she works with at the cannery when her husband walked up to them from nowhere and assaulted her from behind. She said her husband thought that she was talking to another man on the phone but she tried to explain to him that she was talking to her girlfriend, not a man.

The victim also told police that her husband threatened to kill her. For her own safety, the victim requested that police detain her husband and not allow him back home.

The couple rent a house in Ottoville.

The victim provided police with her husband’s cell phone, which made it easier for police to contact the defendant, who was told to come to the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to discuss the matter.

Four hours later, the defendant walked into the TPS and provided his side of the story. He was later booked and confined at the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF), after being interviewed by police.

When asked by police, the defendant stated that he was extremely angry when he saw his wife talking on the phone for over an hour. He thought that maybe his wife was having an affair with another man.

The defendant is a carpenter, and he was working in Tafuna when he received a phone call from his cousin around 12:32p.m. He then left his job, jumped on a bus and headed to their house in Ottoville to check on his wife. According to the defendant, he was shocked to see his wife sitting on the side of the road talking on the phone.

Out of anger, he then assaulted his wife. The defendant told police that he was intoxicated when he committed the offense.

After his initial appearance, the defendant was remanded to custody until he posts a $500 bond, subject to the condition that he is not to have any direct or indirect contact with his wife. The defendant is scheduled to appear in court on Apr. 25 for his pretrial conference.

INCIDENT IN TAFETA

The incident in Tafuna happened around 9:21p.m. Monday night when the defendant allegedly assaulted his wife inside their home in Tafuna.

The man allegedly pushed his wife's face twice before the woman became angry, exited their home, and contacted police for help.

According to the victim, the incident occurred inside their home while they were watching TV. The victim told police it was her husband who started the verbal argument, when he mentioned something about her going out with another man. Her husband also accused her for giving their money to a taxi driver for sexual activity.

She said she tried to explain but her husband didn't want to hear it.

He then allegedly pulled her hair, slapped her twice in the face before pushing her towards the wall.

When asked by police, the defendant admitted that he had assaulted his wife and immediately begged for a chance to go home. However, for the safety of the victim, the defendant was booked and confined at the TCF to await the next sitting of District Court.

After his initial appearance, the defendant was released on his own recognizance to await his next court appearance on Apr. 22 for his pretrial conference.

INCIDENT IN NU’UULI

Around 7:30p.m, Tuesday night, a woman called the TPS for assistance, after her niece (her sister’s daughter) was allegedly assaulted by her husband. The officers arrived shortly thereafter and a woman, who was later identified as the aunty of the victim explained the incident to police.

According to the victim’s aunty, she was at their other house when she heard her daughter screaming for help from the house where she stays with her husband and three young children. She rushed to offer help to her niece, but when she arrived, she saw the defendant choking his wife (niece-victim) with one hand, while he was holding a kitchen knife in his other hand. According to the victim’s aunty, the defendant was pointing the knife straight at his wife’s throat.

When he heard her (the aunt) yelling at him, the defendant left the house, running outside into the dark. As he ran away, he yelled out to his wife (victim) saying that he would kill her when he came back home.

When interviewed by police, the victim claims that her husband cussed at her and accused her of using him to feed her family, yet he knows that she is having an affair with another man in their village.

The victim told police that as she was trying to calm her husband down, he started throwing punches at her in front of their 3 young children. She pushed him away but he grabbed a cooking knife and put it to her throat while choking her using his other hand.

For her safety, the victim then requested police to detain her husband because he threatened to assault her again when he comes home.

The defendant was later apprehended by police after which he was booked and confined at the TCF.

After his initial appearance, the defendant was remanded to custody until he can post a $500 bond, subject to the condition that he shall not have any direct or indirect contact with his wife.

He’s scheduled to appear in court on Apr. 22 for his pretrial conference.