Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — An alleged fight between a man and his girlfriend from Petesa over the girlfriend’s suspicion that he was having an affair with another woman has landed the couple at the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF).

It’s alleged that after the man assaulted his girlfriend during a domestic spat, the girlfriend went to a nearby store and allegedly assaulted a female who was standing in front of the store, which she believed is her boyfriend’s lover.

Setefano Taliu and his girlfriend Lily Togiaso made their initial appearances in Court last month.

Taliu, who had an outstanding warrant, is charged with third-degree assault; private peace disturbance; and resisting arrest — all misdemeanors. Togiaso is charged with third-degree assault and public peace disturbance, both misdemeanors.

Taliu’s bail is set at $2,000 while the woman was released on her own recognizance. The man’s case is now transferred to the Family, Drug & Alcohol (FDA) court, and he’s scheduled to appear Aug. 24 for his first pretrial conference.

If he is able to post bond, the man is ordered not to make any contact with Togiaso, their four children, and he has to find another place to live while his case is pending.

Togiaso, on the other hand, is ordered to not make any contact with the victim (the woman she allegedly assaulted).

THE CASE

On the evening of May 10, a woman contacted the TPS to report that a female was assaulted by another woman in front of a store in the Tafuna area.

Cops arrived and spoke to the caller, who told them that as she exited the store, she saw a man trying to restrain a woman (apparently Togiaso) while she was yelling out to a female, who was standing in front of the store — to come and fight her.

The man was able to escort his girlfriend home; however, later, the reporter told police the same woman (Togiaso) came back and allegedly punched the victim in the face. She also pulled her hair and pushed her head towards the store.

The caller and other people who were present intervened and stopped the woman from further assaulting the victim. Police apprehended Togiaso and transported her to the TPS for questioning. The victim was treated by EMS personnel for minor injuries and later released.

According to the girlfriend’s statement to police, she had a fight with her boyfriend after she found out from a woman in their village that her boyfriend was having an affair with a woman who works at a restaurant in Nu’uuli.

During the fight between the couple, according to Togiaso, her boyfriend allegedly punched her in the face and pulled her hair in the presence of their children. And, as she ran for help, she saw her boyfriend’s alleged lover standing in front of the store across from their home.

According to the girlfriend, she went over and assaulted her boyfriend’s ‘lover’ by punching her in the face and pushing her head towards the store wall. She also told her not to speak to her boyfriend again.

Police went to the man and his girlfriend’s home and escorted the boyfriend to the TPS for questioning. He was later arrested — during which time he refused to let his hands be cuffed, and resisted, but was detained at the TCF.

Investigators then found out that the man had an outstanding warrant from the end of last year. He was immediately served with a copy of the warrant.

According to the man, his girlfriend confronted him regarding his alleged affair with another woman. He said he told his girlfriend not to listen to what people tell her, because all those stories are wrong.

The defendant admits that he assaulted Togiaso by punching her in the face, pulling her hair, and also kicking her in the presence of their four children.

Taliu told investigators that him and his girlfriend had been together for 16 years and they have 4 beautiful children.

THE WARRANT

Taliu is on probation for 2 years, for stealing and third-degree assault convictions. As a condition of probation, he was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, attend and complete anger and alcohol management, and remain law abiding.

According to the court, the man failed to appear when his case was called for a review in June of this year. He was remanded to custody to await his next court appearance.