Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On May 20, 2025, at about 7:5 pm, the Tafuna Police Substation received a call from a woman in distress identifying two men allegedly trespassing on private land.

The suspects were identified as Schcymindaran Naidu and Taula Tamati.

Both defendants were charged with one count of Trespass, a class B misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of $500, or both.

Bail for each of the defendants was set at $500.

When police officers arrived at the scene, they were waved down by multiple individuals. The officers immediately exited the police vehicle to separate family members from the suspect identified as Taula Tamati. They observed the defendant sitting on the grass, bleeding from the head. They immediately placed the defendant in the police unit for his safety and met with the woman who identified herself as the caller.

The woman explained that they have made reports detailing the stealing of their crops from their family plantation. She explained that her neighbors have mentioned both defendants as the culprits who have stolen their crops.

She also stated that their property has a fence around the land and signs of no trespassing and private property are posted throughout it.

That night, the woman’s children and neighbors called her to let her know that a truck was parked on her property. They identified the two male individuals as Naidu (driver) and Taula (passenger).

The affidavit states that the woman’s children were able to detain both Schcymindaran Naidu and Taula Tamati, until the police units arrived.

The suspects were transported to the TPS and the truck was impounded. The EMS was contacted to treat Tamati and was later transported to the hospital for treatment.

The suspects were both confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility and charged with trespassing.

They are also suspected of stealing crops from another farm, from an inventory of property conducted on the impounded vehicle, according to the affidavit.

Naidu is identified as a 29-year-old citizen of Fiji, and noted as ‘mute’ in the affidavit, while Tamati is identified as a 37-year-old citizen of Samoa.