Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A man accused of assaulting his niece and threatening to kill her and her children is now in custody after he was arrested by police. During his arrest, cops discovered drugs inside his vehicle.

About 5.02pm. on Feb. 12, 2022, a woman called the TPS regarding her uncle who had threatened her with a knife and stated that he would kill her and her children if she disrespected him again. The woman told police that she is scared for the safety of her and her children, and she suspects that her uncle is on drugs.

Several police officers responded to the call and secured the safety of the caller and her four young children. The caller, who was also identified as the victim in this case, was transported to the TPS for questioning, and her children taken to her sister’s home for their safety. The family live in the Happy Valley area in the Tafuna.

According to the victim, she was working at her plantation at the back of her house when her uncle approached her, telling her to advise her children not to make noise and to turn down the volume of the radio.

The victim went inside her house and instructed her children to turn off the radio and stop making noise. The victim then slammed the door as she was making her way out of the house and continued working at her plantation.

A few moments later, she was shocked when he uncle approached her again and allegedly kicked her in her back while she was sitting down. Her uncle then pulled out a knife and placed it on her forehead and told her not to disrespect him again and if she continued to act like that, he will do something to her and her children.

After assaulting the victim, the suspect grabbed a rock and threw it at the house where the victim’s four children were. The rock hit the front door of the house.

Officers also interviewed the victim’s two sons at the victim’s sister’s house about the alleged incident, in the presence of their mother.

The 15-year-old son told police that uncle Kamuta [Seilala] was angry with his mother after her mother slammed the door. He stated he saw his uncle walk to the taro plantation where his mother was working and kick his mother’s back while his mother was sitting down.

The son further stated that after uncle Kamuta kicked his mother, he then placed a knife on his mother’s face and told her to shut up and listen. The 15-year-old son told police he was very scared at the time and he ran inside the house and hid inside the room, crying. The victim’s son also told police that his uncle threw a big rock at them but it hit the front door.

The victim’s 13-year-old son was also interviewed by police and he confirmed that uncle Sei (Seilala) beat his mother and threatened her with a knife. He said after Sei placed the knife on his mother’s face, he ran and hid inside the kitchen because he was scared.

The defendant was not at his house when police went to talk to him. Two hours later, the defendant was apprehended after his vehicle was pulled over by police on the road and taken to the TPS for questioning.

Before Seilala was taken to the TPS for questioning, he was patted down for weapons and illegal drugs and nothing was found on him. However, Police also conducted an inventory search of his vehicle and discovered a glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance under the passenger’s seat, and a small stamp sized baggie containing a white crystalline substance under the driver’s seat.

The white crystalline substances were tested and the result was positive for meth.

When questioned about the alleged incident, Seilala admitted that he assaulted his niece and threatened to kill her and her children for disrespecting him and his wife. He apologized to investigators for his actions and promised that this will not happen again.

When questioned about the drugs found inside his vehicle, Seilala said he has no knowledge of the illegal substances discovered inside his vehicle. He told investigators his son-in-law had used the truck to transport his crops the previous day.

Seilala was taken to the TCF, where he was booked and confined.

He is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, an unclassified felony, along with one count of 2nd-degree assault, a class D felony, punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both, along with 4 counts of endangering the welfare of a child, one count of trespass and one count of PPD, all misdemeanors.

Seilala’s bail is set at $15,000.