Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Viliamu Filemoni was arraigned in the High Court yesterday before Associate Justice Fiti Sunia on charges of rape, sexual abuse-first degree, felonious restraint, assault-third degree and endangering the welfare of a child.

It is an alleged sexual abused case involving a 16-year old transgender teenager.

Filemoni who appeared in the District Court last week is being held on bail of $20,000.

According to the government’s case, the incident occurred inside a room adjacent to a church building on February 7, 2023 in Leone. 

The victim’s father lodged a criminal complaint at the Leone Police Substation following the incident. Court documents say the father informed police his son is a transgender person and was disappointed with what allegedly occurred.

According to the criminal complaint, the defendant told police that it was the victim who instigated the inappropriate touching, and that it was the victim that grabbed him.