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Court Report

Translated by Samoa News staff

SOLOMONA TEOFILO

A man accused by the government of assaulting his sister-in-law by hitting her in the face, putting a small knife to her throat and threatening her with a hammer is now charged with felony second-degree assault.

The charges against 55-year old Solomona Teofilo occurred recently during a family incident, which resulted in the alleged assault by Teofilo of his 51-year old sister-in-law.

Court documents show the defendant had gone to his sister-in-law’s home to borrow his older brother’s car, but the victim told the defendant to call the older brother off island for permission.

The government alleges that as the sister-in-law was inside the vehicle trying to start the car, the defendant tried to take away the keys. Then the defendant returned to the car with a small knife, which he put to the victim’s throat to scare her.

The victim left the vehicle and she noticed the defendant walking towards her with a hammer and swearing at her, according to the government’s case.

Police were called and they found the defendant in his home, and he was then taken to the police central station in Fagatogo for questioning. The defendant allegedly told police he was aware of his rights, and he had no statement for police.

In High Court last week Teofilo entered a not guilty plea, after the case was bound over from District Court. The defendant was ordered not to make any contact with the victim and he must remain a law-abiding citizen while his case goes through the court system. Another court hearing for the defendant is scheduled for later next month.

Second-degree assault is a class D felony punishable by not more than 5 years imprisonment, not more than $5,000 fine or both. His bail is set at $5,000 but it’s unclear at press time if he has been able to post bail.

MARTIN SEGA

With Martin Sega charged with another crime while on probation, District Court Judge Fiti A. Sunia said last Friday that it’s very difficult for the court to believe a defendant who was first convicted of a crime and then given another chance in life but again ends up doing the same thing — committing another crime, while on probation.

Sega has reappeared before the District Court on a public peace disturbance. He is also on probation from the District Court for a previous crime earlier this year.

Police reports show that Sega’s original case and the new case both involved alcohol.

Sunia has set Oct. 18 for another hearing for Sega, to review the new case of public peace disturbance as well as a motion by the Probation Office to void the defendant’s probation handed down earier this year, because he violated conditions of his probation by committing a new crime. Sega remains in custody.

AFATIA LOGO

Afatia Logo, who allegedly assaulted a younger male for assaulting his son, is charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault in the third degree and public peace disturbance.

According to court information, the alleged assault occurred after a volleyball game between youngsters in the Petesa village. One of the young man allegedly assaulted Logo’s son, during the incident and the son went home crying and Logo saw his son on the road while driving home.

Logo asked his son what happen and the son told him it was another youngster at the volleyball game in the village. Logo arrived at the site of the volleyball game and hit the youngster, who allegedly hit his son, in the face. Eyewitnesses told police that the defendant was also screaming and swearing.

Logo appeared last week in District Court where he was released without having to post bail, but he was ordered to surrender his travel documents to the government. He was also ordered to maintain peace, not to make any contact with any government witnesses in the case and he is prohibited from showing up at the volleyball site where the incident occurred.

MAN ABUSING BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER CASE IN HIGH COURT

The government’s case against a man who is accused of sexually abusing his biological daughter once a week throughout the month of August after he allegedly smoked ice is now in High Court.

To protect the victim, Samoa News is not identifying the defendant by name. The defendant’s bail is set at $20,000 but as of last Thursday morning he remains in custody unable to post bail.

The defendant waived his preliminary examination in District Court last Thursday and his case was bound over to High Court the next day where he was arraigned. He pled guilty to all charges, through his attorney, and his next court hearing is set for Nov. 4.

The defendant is charged with four counts of first-degree sexual abuse of his biological daughter. The four counts represents one day a week in August — Aug. 3, 11, 29, and 25th — in which the defendant is alleged to have committed the crime of sexual abuse, according to court documents. The defendant is also charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.

At last Thursday’s arraignment proceedings, the High Court re-enforced conditions of release if the defendant is able to post bail. Among those conditions is to find another place to stay that is far away from the victim and her family.

(Original Samoan stories were published Samoa News online weekend Oct. 8 and last Friday’s print edition.)