Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On February 25, 2024, a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) and explained that her friend contacted her via Facebook messenger (FB) and asked her to contact the authorities to report that her husband was beating her up.

The defendant was apprehended and charged with the following:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance — a class C misdemeanor punishable for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree — a class A misdemeanor punishable for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identities of the minors involved in this case.)

According to the affidavit, on February 25, at about 5:05 pm a woman contacted the TPS and stated that her friend (victim) messaged her on FB asking if she could contact the police station to report her friend’s husband (defendant) was beating her up.

When police arrived at the scene, officers met with the victim who directed the officers into her home where her husband (defendant) was; and, one of the officers apprehended the defendant in the room where he was found sleeping and he was placed inside the police unit.

The wife (victim) was interviewed at the scene by one of the officers, where she briefly explained to the officers about what had allegedly happened.

The victim stated in the affidavit that she got home from church and asked her husband if he had cooked anything and he didn’t respond. She stated that she became enraged and went to wash the dishes and that’s when the defendant started yelling at her.

The victim alleged that they got into a verbal argument that escalated into a physical confrontation, where the defendant hit her head with a long lighter resulting in a bump on her forehead and she was punched several times which left her arm bruised. Additionally, she claimed that the defendant threatened to slash her with a knife and shouted profanities at her.

The victim further mentioned that this has been an ongoing issue between her and her husband.

One of the police officers also interviewed the couple’s two sons who are both minors.

According to the 11-year-old son’s (witness #1) verbal and written statement, he was taking a shower when he heard his parents arguing. And, when he ran outside, his father began beating his mother.

The 11-year-old said he then threw two cans: one at the mirror and one at the window.

He then rushed to put on his clothes before running outside with his siblings and mother and while he was running outside, his father “flung a stick and an avocado” nearly hitting his leg. He said his father broke their pipe and bruised his mother’s arm. He said his mother’s mouth was bloody and she had two lumps on her head.

The minor added that he heard his father yelling at his mother and threatening her with a knife.

According to the 13-year-old son’s (witness #2) written statement, the disagreement began when his mother asked his father if he could ask his sister (dad’s sister) to help with the water bill because she had been using their water for more than a month.

The 13-year-old stated that his father began yelling and that he heard complaints during the argument. The fight began verbally and then escalated into a physical confrontation.

The minor claimed that his father hit his mother first and that the defendant was destroying and tossing things around the house. He (witness #2) explained that his mother tried to physically stop his father, however his father continued to throw things at his mother and hit her a couple of times.

He expressed his sadness at seeing his mother harmed with two bumps on her head and a swollen and bruised arm.

The 13-year-old said that after his father repeatedly hurt and swore at his mother, his father left the house for a while and returned just as he (witness #2) was ready to fall asleep.

Later his mother woke him up and the police arrived a few minutes later. The 13-year-old concluded in his statement that his father has done this before — “he has sworn, thrown and broken objects, attacked his mother, threatened her with a knife and also ruined other belongings.”

The defendant was transported to the TPS for further investigation.

At about 6:02 pm, the defendant was Mirandized and agreed to make a statement.

According to the defendant’s verbal and written statement, the reason why they fought was because his wife wanted to use the laptop that they were using to watch a movie with his kids. He stated that he didn’t give his wife the laptop and that’s when his wife started cursing at him. He said that he was trying to stop her and yet she slapped him and that’s when he slapped her back.

He admitted that he used a long lighter to strike his wife’s forehead two times but it was because his wife also hit him with a hair dryer. He also explained it’s an ongoing issue between him and his wife.

The defendant was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility awaiting the next sitting in the District Court.

RAIMO TOILOLO

On February 27, 2023, it was reported that Raimo Toilolo allegedly assaulted Mafoe Ihuka.

The suspect was arrested and charged with the following:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV) — a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both; and,

Count 2: Assault in Third Degree (DV) — a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $1,000.

According to the affidavit, on February 27, Toilolo (suspect) physically assaulted Ihuka (victim) by punching her one time on the left side of her head.

When police arrived at the scene, police officers met with a woman who identified herself as the reporter. She stated that she heard her neighbors, who are her in-laws, screaming for help. The victim and her husband were holding the suspect outside of their house, to stop him escaping, according to the affidavit. 

Upon arrival, the officers arrested the suspect and placed him in the police unit to be transported to Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) for further investigation.

Police officers also contacted the EMS as they transported the victim to the hospital for medical treatment.

The officers interviewed the victim and she verbally stated that “Raimo Toilolo left their house early in the morning and returned home at 10:30 hours on the said date.

“She (victim) then told him (suspect) to pack his clothes and find some place else to stay because the family who owns the land did not want him to stay with them anymore.

“Meanwhile, the suspect started to yell out loud inside the house and wanted to fist fight her husband.”

The victim said that “she stood between her husband and the suspect to avoid them from fighting each other,” but instead Toilolo pushed her away and punched her on the left side of her head.”

The “victim also explained that the suspect was a household member for over a month.”

The suspect was Mirandized which he understood and agreed to make a statement. (The affidavit did not state the suspect’s statement.)

The suspect was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next sitting of the District Court.

The suspect is identified as a 38-year-old, U.S citizen.