Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On July 5th, 2024, a female individual contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that her uncle was allegedly disturbing the peace and had also chased her with a machete.

The defendant was later apprehended and charged with the following:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV) — a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300 but not less than $150, or both; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV) — a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, but not less than $150, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $5,000.

According to the affidavit, police officers responded to the call in to TPS, and upon arrival at the scene, they met with the victim in which she briefed the officers regarding the situation.

The victim stated that she was at home with her mom and suddenly her uncle — allegedly identified as Samoa Alefosio — approached her mom and told her to make him some food in a demanding tone.

The victim explained that she then told her uncle, “not to talk to her mother [in that way] and that her mother is not his wife”. The victim further stated that Alefosio (defendant) got angry and came at her with a machete and attempted to cut her.

She stated that later, the defendant chased her with the machete.

She said when her uncle came back home, he threw the machete at her mother. The victim stated she told her uncle that she was going to call the cops. He replied that he doesn’t care about the cops and that he’s not afraid of the police.

At this point, the victim contacted the TPS for assistance regarding the said matter.

The victim directed the police officers where the suspect was at and he was apprehended and transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Police officers also interviewed the victim’s mother in which she stated that she was conducting her chores and all of a sudden her brother (defendant) yelled at her and demanded she prepare food for him because he was starving.

She (victim’s mother) explained that her daughter told the defendant directly “not to talk to her like that and that she was not her wife.” She confirmed that the defendant got angry and grabbed his machete and walked towards her daughter and attempted to cut her. Moreover, the defendant then chased the victim with the machete while she was in the house.

Upon arrival at the TPS, the defendant was Mirandized where he understood and refused to provide a statement.

Alefosio was later booked and confined to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await his initial appearance at the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 50 year-old, U.S National.