Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 21, 2024, at about 4:05pm, a woman contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) requesting assistance in removing her husband, Faigame Iuta from her house in Vaitogi. It was revealed that there was a Civil Protection Order in which Mr. Iuta must not be within 100 feet of his wife.

The defendant was charged with one count of Criminal Contempt — a class A misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for up to one (1) year, a fine of $1000, or both; except for violations of paragraph (1) is a class B misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for six (6) months, a fine of $500, or both.

Bail for the defendant was set at $1000.

Upon arrival at the scene, police officers interviewed Mrs. Iuta (caller), who stated that “she was inside her home preparing food when she noticed Mr. Iuta standing in front of her house asking her to accept him back into her life and he will do anything in order for their family to be back together.”

Mrs. Iuta further stated that she ignored the defendant and went into her room. After about 30 minutes, she walked out towards the living room and saw the defendant on the bed in the living room. She decided to call the TPS for assistance in removing the defendant from her house instead of chasing him out “to prevent any argument between them”.

When officers spoke to the defendant, he stated, “he was only at his wife’s house to get his belongings.”

The defendant was booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to await the next available sitting of District Court.

PPD IN HAPPY VALLEY

On January 21, 2024, a man contacted the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) to report his nephew disturbing the peace.

The defendant was later arrested and charged with the following: Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance — a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for six (6) months, a fine of $500.00, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $300.

According to the affidavit, Va’a Feleni contacted the Fagatogo Central Station reporting his nephew Visesio, Ava A.K.A Mikaele Faleava was making unreasonable noises and yelling out profanities towards him in his house. Police officers were then dispatched to Pago Pago (Happy Valley).

When police officers arrived at the scene, the officers met up with the caller (victim) Mr. Faleni in front of his neighbor’s house where he briefed the officers on what had happened. The affidavit stated that Faleni explained that his nephew, Visesio, got back from work at the cannery in the evening at an unknown time and went inside his room. At about 12 midnight, as he was about to sleep, he suddenly heard Visesio yelling and shouting profanities from his room.

Faleni then went over and opened the defendant’s door to see what was going on.

Upon opening the door, he observed Visesio consuming alcohol beverages and yelling out profanities to someone that he was talking to on his cell phone. Faleni then told Visesio to be quiet and that he cannot yell out those forbidden words and be disrespectful in his house. He then told his nephew to stop drinking and to go eat and then sleep however, Visesio didn’t want to listen and started to yell profanities at his uncle and walked out of the house.

The affidavit revealed that Faleni went after his nephew (the defendant) and tried to get him back in the house because he was loud and was being disrespectful around his neighbors. However, Visesio refused and started to grab rocks and threw them at his uncle.

Faleni then backed away for his safety and contacted the FPS for assistance while Visesio fled the scene.

Police officers canvassed the neighboring area to locate the defendant but were unsuccessful.

However, when police officers decided to look back at the victim’s residence they observed Visesio walking towards the police unit. Police officers immediately apprehended the defendant and detected a strong odor of alcohol from him.

Visesio was taken to the FPS for booking and was later transported to the TCF to await the next sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a citizen of Samoa.