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Drugs and ammunition allegedly found on a man at the Fagatogo Marketplace

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But he was released from custody because the govt didn’t file any charges against him
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man who was arrested last Thursday morning after drugs and ammunition were found inside his vehicle was released by the court yesterday morning, after the government was unable to file any charges against him.

Faamalu Vili’s name was on yesterday’s court calendar. However, he was never called during court proceedings.

Before the court adjourned, prosecutor Jason Mitchell brought Vili’s name up, saying his name was on the calendar but he his matter was never called.

Patea responded and said the court is aware of the situation, and added that the court did not receive any filings from the government, regarding that person’s case.

The judge told Mitchell that if the court does not receive anything from the government, that means, that person should not be in court. “We don’t know why he was brought in court,” Patea told Mitchell, referring to Vili.

He then ordered that Vili be released from custody because nothing has been filed against him.

THE ALLEGATIONS

Vili was apprehended at the Fagatogo Market in connection with a case involving a woman who is serving probation but tested positive for meth last week. The woman is Ieniseni Mosese.

According to the government, around 9:30 a.m last Thursday morning, Mosese left the Probation Office after completing some paperwork. Not long afterwards, she went back to the Probation Office.

A Probation officer noticed the quick change in Mosese’s behavior and demeanor. When asked if everything was okay, Mosese immediately confessed to the Probation officer that she had just smoked ice with another man outside of the District Court building.

According to Mosese, on her way to the bus stop in Fagatogo, a man who was sitting inside his vehicle called out to her and asked if she wanted to get high. She said she went over to the man’s vehicle where they smoked ice.

Mosese further told Probation that she saw a small stamp-sized baggie containing meth inside the man’s vehicle. The man was later identified as Vili.

Mosese was immediately arrested by a Probation officer, after she admitted to smoking meth, which violated conditions of her probation.

Vili’s vehicle was seen parked at the District Court parking lot. Vili was observed exiting the vehicle and dancing. He looked happy.

Meanwhile, the information regarding Mosese testing positive for meth was passed on to the Chief Probation Officer (CPO), and later reached the Court Marshal.

A court marshal and the CPO went out to check on Vili’s vehicle, which at this time was parked at the Fagatogo Marketplace.

Vili was arrested by the court marshal and later transferred to the custody of police. His vehicle was searched and drugs, along with ammunition, were discovered not only in the vehicle but also on him.

A source told Samoa News that a medium sized ziploc baggie containing marijuana was also allegedly found inside Vili’s vehicle, along with ammunition.

A body search allegedly netted a small stamp-sized baggie containing meth inside his pants pocket. The drugs and paraphernalia were transferred to police for further investigation.

It’s unclear at this time if the government is going to file any charges against Vili.