Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A 42-year-old man accused of assaulting his 50-year-old uncle with a machete two years ago is now in custody after he was arrested last month.

Winston Faaleo was arrested during a traffic stop for driving a vehicle with an expired license plate tag.

It’s not known at this time why the government waited so long to file their case against Faaleo.

THE CASE

The government alleges that it was July 07, 2018 around 6:54p.m when the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) received a call requesting police assistance after a man had allegedly been assaulted by another man with a machete at a family compound in Ottville. The caller further stated to police that the man who committed the alleged crime was walking on the road with a machete in his hand while the injured man was still in the house.

 Police officers responded to the call and met up with several witnesses who briefed them regarding the alleged incident. EMS personnel were also notified and the victim was transported to the LBJ Medical Hospital for treatment.

The victim was discharged after spending two days at the LBJ Hospital and was staying with a friend in Kokoland. The move was to separate the victim and the defendant.

Officers interviewed the victim at the home of a family member and observed injuries on the victim’s face and left and right hands.

According to the victim’s statement to police, he was preparing coffee when his front door suddenly opened and his nephew, Winston Faaleo, the defendant in this case, stormed into the house with a machete in his hand and demanded to know why he (victim) called his wife one night ago.

The victim was not aware of the situation, so he tried to calm the defendant down, and at the same time ask him what he meant by ‘calling his wife’. The victim told the defendant that he had not called his wife and he would never do such thing. However, as the two exchanged words, the victim was shocked when his nephew (defendant) swung the machete towards his face, which he was able to dodge.

The defendant swung the machete a second time, hitting the victim above his left eye causing a laceration there. The defendant hit the victim again with the machete on the third swing and that is when the victim raised his left hand to block the blow and the machete struck his left hand.

The victim also stated to police that his right hand was injured when he used it to block the blows that caused injuries to his face and left hand.

The victim further stated to police that the defendant left the scene after he assaulted him, while he (the victim) was still lying on the floor inside the house injured. The victim did not wish to file any criminal complaint against his nephew because he loves him.

The victim further stated to police that the defendant is his sister’s son, and he doesn’t want him to suffer.

Officers went to the defendant’s residence to arrest him but did not find him at home. Police then talked to the defendant’s neighbor regarding the incident. According to the neighbor, it was after the defendant assaulted his uncle that he ran back to his house to look for his wife who witnessed the alleged assault.

The neighbor further stated to police that while the defendant was looking for his wife, the 30-year-old wife was hiding in the neighbor’s house. The wife further asked the neighbor to help her because the defendant was going to hurt her with the machete.

The neighbor was afraid for her safety and instructed the wife to run towards the main road. The neighbor saw the wife fleeing from her house carrying her one-year old daughter and running towards the trees leading toward the main road. A few moments later, the neighbor saw the defendant running in the same direction carrying a machete in his hand.

Several police officers were called for backup and they searched for the defendant. The defendant was nowhere to be found. Police then informed neighbors to notify DPS as soon as they observed the defendant in the area.

Police located the wife and brought her in for questioning. The wife told police that on the early morning of July 07, she was informed by her brother that her aunty was waiting for her to go to the bank to withdraw money for their family toona’i. And while she was readying herself and her little 1-year old daughter, her husband (defendant) told her to stay home because her aunty had already left to pick up the money.

The wife stayed home and was about to start her morning chores when the defendant called her name from inside the bedroom. At this time, her daughter had fallen asleep. She approached the bedroom and went inside, and her husband (defendant) asked her in a gentle quiet tone to have sex. She said no but the defendant continued to ask her, and she told him no.

The defendant then became angry with her and accused her of having a sexual relationship with his uncle (victim) and giving him money every time she gets her paycheck.

The victim was very afraid and started crying at the same time telling her husband (defendant) there was nothing going on with her and the uncle (defendant’s uncle), however, the defendant continued accusing her of having a sexual relationship with other guys and old men in their village.

According to the wife, her husband was very angry, and allegedly beat her, punching her on her back and using a bamboo stick to hit her on the side of her thigh. He also slapped and punched her in her face. She then saw the defendant grab a machete and threatened her, telling her to wait in the house and not go anywhere, and that he was going to beat his uncle with the machete.

When the wife saw that the defendant had left and gone to his uncle’s house, she immediately took her daughter and ran to her neighbor’s house and asked for help.  She then left her neighbor’s house and ran towards the trees that led to a family-members’ residence and stayed there until her other uncle and his wife came over to pick up her and her daughter.

The wife further told investigators that this is not the first time her husband accused her of having a sexual relationship with the uncle or other men in the village and the church.

Faaleo made his initial appearance in court last month.

He is charged with one count of 1st degree assault, a class A felony punishable by imprisonment for a term not less than 10 years and not more than 30 years; along with one count of 3rd degree assault, a class A misdemeanor, punishable by term of imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Faaleo is being held in custody without bail.