Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man arrested during a public peace disturbance in the Tafuna area is now charged for violating local drug laws after police officers discovered illegal drugs in his possession.

The government alleges that on Mar. 12, 2022 around 9:30p.m, the TPS received a call from a man requesting police assistance due to a fight that had occurred outside of a store in the Tafuna area. Several police officers responded and met up with the caller who then told them about the incident.

As cops approached the caller, they observed four male individuals standing on the other side of the store. The caller pointed towards the four men and stated to officers that they were the ones that had gotten into a fight with two other men who had already left the area.

The caller explained that one of the four men struck another man causing him to fall to the ground. Meanwhile, the other two men attempted to stop the fight.

Officers approached the four men, apprehended them and placed them in police units while officers continued to speak to the caller and other eyewitness about the alleged fight.

While speaking to several of the eyewitnesses, officers received a call from the TPS that a man had just walked into TPS claiming that he was assaulted by two men and he wanted to file a complaint against the two men who allegedly assaulted him.

Before placing the four men inside the police units, all of them were patted down, with one of them, later identified as Apineru Lafoga, the defendant in this matter, found to have what appeared to be a rolled up brown paper bag with a green leafy substance, inside one of his pockets.

When asked what it was, Lafoga responded, “What do you think it is? It’s weed.”

Lafoga and the three other men were transported to the TPS for further investigation.

After arriving at the TPS, the victim pointed out that it was Lafoga who assaulted him while the other man, Iosefa Talalelei (co-defendant) kicked him in the back while he was lying on the ground.

When questioned by investigators, Lafoga refused to make a statement about the incident.

The green leafy substance was tested and the test indicated that the substance showed positive for THC (tetrahydrocannbinol), the active compound found in marijuana.

An eyewitness told investigators that she was at the store when the fight broke out, outside the store. She saw Lafoga punch the victim in the facial area before choking him while the victim was lying on the ground. The witness saw another man, Talalelei kick the victim in the back.

Co-defendant, Talalelei was also charged with 3rd-degree assault while the other two men were released to go home. Iosefa was released on his own recognizance to await his next court hearing.

Lafoga made his initial appearance in court two months ago. He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, an unclassified felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment from 5-10, a fine of up to $20,000 or both.

Bail is set at $5,000.