Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Mosese Lomu, who was convicted in 2020 for criminal fraud and currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Department of Search and Rescue, has been officially pardoned by Governor Pulaalii Nikolao Pula. 

This was confirmed by Tiaoalii Dr. Asenati Saau-Umi, the Director of Human Resources, during a Senate hearing last week on proposed salary increases for the Department of Public Safety (DPS). 

Samoa News reported earlier that in January 2020, Lomu was sentenced by Chief Justice Michael Kruse to 28 months in the same facility he had formerly overseen. Earlier this year, Lomu was appointed Deputy Director after the Governor appointed Utumoe Alefosio, a former police officer, as Director of SAR. 

Lomu's criminal conduct involved concealing the escape of an inmate described by the Chief Justice as "one of our more dangerous inmates," who fled TCF in 2018 and subsequently shot another individual. 

Lomu was the Master of Ceremonies for the recent groundbreaking ceremonies for the Department of Search and Rescue, and he was introduced as the Deputy Director.

During the hearing, Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean questioned the eligibility of an individual with a felony conviction to hold a leadership position within a government agency. Dr. Saau-Umi clarified that Lomu had received a pardon from the Governor, which allows him to continue in his role.

Further inquiry by Tuaolo sought to confirm whether this pardon was granted by the current Governor, to which Dr. Saau-Umi affirmed that it was.

Lomu’s conviction stems from an incident in January 2020, when he was sentenced to 28 months in prison for criminal fraud. This conviction was related to his actions in covering up the escape of an inmate, Manu Lefatia, in 2018. At the time, Lomu held the position of Watch Commander at the Territorial Correctional Facility. 

During Lefatia’s time at large, he committed a violent act in Leone, shooting another individual.