Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man accused of assaulting his girlfriend is now in custody after he was arrested last month.

Pulou Moors made his initial appearance in court last month. He is charged with one count of felonious restraint and one count of 2nd- degree assault — involving domestic violence, both class D felonies, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $5,000 or both, along with one count of PPD, a class B misdemeanor.

Bail is set at $10,000 and his preliminary examination is set for next week.

THE CASE

According to the government’s case, it was on Oct. 3, 2022 at around 5p.m when Pulou Moors allegedly assaulted his girlfriend (victim) who is currently pregnant, after the victim got into a verbal altercation with Moors’ mother.

Several police officers responded to the scene and observed Moors preventing victim from coming outside of the house, by pushing her down on a chair. Moors also shouted profanities at the victim and officers quickly moved him away from the victim.

The government alleges that Moors assaulted the victim inside their room by slapping her several times in her face until she fell down and while she was on the floor, Moors kicked her in the jaw.

The victim was interviewed by investigators regarding the alleged assault, and she stated that she tried to leave the house several times when the incident was in progress but her boyfriend kept her from leaving the house, by grabbing her by both arms and assaulting her.

The victim also stated to investigators that she was almost out of breath when her boyfriend restricted her from moving. She said she tried to force her way out of the house, but she couldn’t because her boyfriend pushed her down on a chair. She yelled out to seek help from neighbors.

Both the victim and the defendant were later placed into the police unit and transported to Leone Police Substation (LPS) for further investigation.

The victim was worried that she might have a miscarriage due to the alleged assault by her boyfriend.

Moors refused to speak to investigators. He was later transported to the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF) where he was booked and detained.

MAOTAOALII SAVUSA

Maotaoalii Savusa was arrested last month and charged for assaulting another man at the victim’s work place in Nu’uuli.

Savusa, who is now released on a $5,000 bond is charged with one count of 2nd- degree assault, a class D felony, along with one count of 3rd- degree assault, a class A misdemeanor.

According to the government’s case, it was about 10p.m on Oct. 15, 2022 when the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) received a phone call from a man claiming that he was assaulted by Savusa. The caller was later identified as the victim in this case.

The victim told investigators that the 49-year-old Savusa assaulted him at his workplace by striking him several times using a metal pipe about 2-inch wide, due to the victim telling Savusa’s wife that Savusa owes him some money.

According to the victim, he was in shock when Savusa continued to strike him with the metal pipe on his right shoulder. The victim further claimed that Savusa punched him in the face, which led to a bleeding nose and a minor cut on his lower lip and some of his upper teeth were cracked.

The victim was treated at the scene by EMS and he refused to be taken to the hospital for further treatment.

Officers located the defendant in Nu’uuli and he was taken to the TPS for further investigation.

Savusa told investigators he got mad at the victim for telling his wife that he owed him money. When he found out about this, he walked over to the victim’s workplace and confronted him about what he did.

According to Savusa, it was the victim who challenged him by asking him what he wanted. That’s when he started throwing punches at the victim several times which landed on his facial area.

Savusa denied the victim’s claim that he struck him with a metal pipe. He told investigators that he was only holding a stick to chase dogs away — there was no metal pipe.

ASOVALE LAVEA

Asovale Lavea’i of Tafuna was initially charged in two separate burglary cases, however, in a plea agreement with the government, accepted by the High Court last, week, Lavea pled guilty to two counts of stealing, while the remaining charges were dismissed.

Under the plea agreement, Lavea admits that on Oct. 10, 2021 he unlawfully entered a home in Tafuna at night and removed several items including electronics, which had a value exceeding $100.

Furthermore, Lavea admits that on Oct. 10, 2021, he unlawfully entered a store in Tafuna at night for the purpose of committing a crime. While he was inside the store, he stole a small box containing $464 cash, and several items including food, sodas, two cartons of cigarettes and an iPhone.

According to the plea agreement, the government claims that the owners of the house that was burglarized were off island during the time of the incident. The couple informed police after they returned and discovered that their home was burglarized and Lavea was identified by a man who lived a few blocks from the couple’s home, after trying to sell his wife an iPad.

According to the man’s statement to police, Lavea is well known to the village for selling stolen items to families in the neighborhood.

When questioned by police, Lavea admitted entered into the couple’s home and stealing several items.

While police were investigating the incident regarding the couple’s home, the owner of a store, also in the Tafuna area contacted the TPS for assistance, regarding his store being burglarized.

Police watched the footage captured from the store surveillance camera, and easily identified the person in the footage as Lavea.

When questioned by police, Lavea also admitted that he broke into the store at night and stole several items including cash.

Lavea, who has been in custody since his arrest last year, unable to post a $15,000 surety bond is scheduled to appear in court next month for sentencing.

According to the government, most of the stolen items were recovered by police and returned to the victims.

FAITELE ELIA

A man from Tafeta accused of having sex with a 16-year-old girl multiple times has entered into a plea agreement with the government.

Faitele Elia appeared in High Court last week for a Change of Plea hearing.

Elia, who remains in custody, unable to post a $10,000 surety bond, u54nder a plea agreement with the government, Elia pled guilty to two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and the remaining charges were dismissed. Elia admits that on Oct. 8 and Oct. 18, 2021, he touched the private parts of a 16-year-old girl for the purpose of sexual gratification.

Both parties recommended to the court that the defendant be placed on probation for 5 years under the condition that he register as a sex offender oooi089000q           undergo HIV testing, before he departs the territory and remains outside of its borders.

Elia is scheduled to appear again in court next month for sentencing.

FINEASO TAIMANO

An overstayer from Samoa accused of assaulting another man and damaging his vehicle told the court that he did what he did because the victim’s son forced his way into his home and stole from him.

 Fineaso Taimano appeared in District Court last week for a pretrial conference. However, when his case was called, the prosecutor told the court that an agreement has been reached.

According to terms of the plea agreement, Taimano who has been in custody without bail since his arrest two months ago due to his illegal immigration status — was initially charged with third-degree property damage, third-degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child, all class A misdemeanors.

But under a plea agreement, which was accepted by the court, Taimano pled guilty to third-degree property damage. The remaining charges were dismissed.

The case came to light after a woman called the DPS Tafuna substation on July 24, 2021 to report that her husband was assaulted by their neighbor, Taimano, who struck the victim on the back with a piece of wood.

The woman told police that after Taimano assaulted her husband, he turned around and struck the left headlight of their vehicle with the same piece of wood he used to assault her husband.

When questioned by police, Taimano said he assaulted his neighbor because the neighbor’s 13-year-old son forced his way into his home and took off with several items while he was away.

During his initial appearance two months ago, it was revealed that Taimano’s immigration ID expired in Dec. 2020 after his sponsor, his ex-wife, refused to renew his papers.

FIAMAPU TAULAU

A man with a 2-year-old bench warrant for failure to appear in court for a disposition hearing was arrested last week and he’s now in custody.

Fiamapu Taulau made his initial appearance in Court last week, and his next hearing is scheduled for next month.

His probation review stems from a case in 2018, when he was convicted for his involvement in burglarizing Tafuna High School classrooms and the school’s main office and stole several items.

When questioned by police, two juveniles identified Taulau as being involved in the burglary. According to the minors, Taulau served as the ‘lookout’, while they — along with 2 male adults — entered the classrooms and the school’s main office and removed the computers and accessories.

On Oct. 10, 2018, Taulau was sentenced to 7 years probation after he pled guilty to stealing. As a condition, Tuulau was ordered to serve 28 months and remain law abiding.

In 2020, Taulau was convicted in District Court for stealing, a class A misdemeanor — a clear violation of the conditions set forth in his 2018 probation sentence handed down in High Court.

On Aug. 21, 2021, Taulau was scheduled to appear in High Court for a Disposition Hearing; however, he failed to appear.

That’s when a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

Last week, Taulau was apprehended at his parents’ home after he went there and reportedly disturbed the peace. He is now remanded to custody without bail, awaiting his next court appearance.