Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A male driver and a female passenger in a vehicle pulled over by police officers for a seat belt violation last month are now in custody after officers discovered illegal drugs and paraphernalia in the vehicle.

Moreover, the male passenger was the same person allegedly involved in a hot pursuit with police two nights prior. However, police were unable to stop the vehicle the male allegedly drove, nor apprehend him, despite the fact that two senior police officers were able to identify him.

When police officers approached the vehicle they pulled over for the seat belt violation, they identified the driver as Kirisimasi Faamanu, nick named “X-mas”, a 55-year-old male, and the female passenger as Alosina Filo. Both are not new to the court, with each having previous convictions in the District Court.

THE CASE

The government claims that on the afternoon of Jan. 16, 2022, police patrolling in the Futiga area saw a pickup truck speeding; and also noted that the male driver was not wearing a seat belt.

Cops pulled over the truck in front of a store in Futiga. And, when cops approached the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle, who was later identified as Krisimasi Faamanu, had already exited the truck, with a blue bag in his hand and he attempted to run away from police.

Police instructed Faamanu to get back inside the vehicle, but he refused and demanded to know why they had stopped the vehicle. Faamanu continued to walk backwards, away from the police, while they instructed him to stop moving. Faamanu continued to ask why his vehicle had been pulled over.

However, the matter was resolved calmly, with Faamanu getting back inside the vehicle per police instructions while still holding on to the bag. Police then approached him and explained the reason why his vehicle had been pulled over.

The female passenger, who was sitting in the back seat behind the driver’s seat was later identified as Alosina Filo, the co-defendant in this case.

Checking for his driver’s license, his name was run through the Office of the Motor Vehicle’s (OMV) system after he told police he had forgotten it at home, and it turned out that it had expired 3 years ago.

When asked why he didn’t renew his driver’s license, Faamanu stated that he feared that he might get locked up because he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest from two years ago for his involvement in a burglary incident in Kokoland.

(Police had no information to prove that there was a warrant to arrest Faamanu for his involvement in any burglary case.)

Police also checked the truck’s license plate and discovered that it did not belong to the truck. Both Faamanu and Filo were then asked to step out of the vehicle. According to the officers at the scene, both Faamanu and Filo looked nervous when officers instructed them to exit the vehicle. While exiting the vehicle, a female officer observed Filo trying to reach into her rear pants pocket.

Both Faamanu and Fili were patted down, and glass pipes containing a white crystalline substance were found, as well as joints and baggies containing a green leafy substance. More illegal drugs were found, along with paraphernalia in a bag.

Further, a glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance was also discovered inside the vehicle between the driver’s and passenger’s seat. Filo was also found to have $210 cash inside the rear pocket of her pants.

Members of the DPS Vice and Narcotics Unit were notified about the illegal drugs, and two detectives were assigned to investigate.

Both Faamanu and Filo were taken to the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) for questioning. Each was taken to different rooms for interviews.

When asked about the glass pipe containing a white crystalline substance discovered in his possession, Faamanu told police it belonged to him. He further stated that the bag containing illegal drugs also belonged to him. He got the stuff from a close friend and they were on their way to deliver it to another man.

Faamanu mentioned the man’s name to police and the man’s name is also mentioned in the affidavit.

When asked about the illegal drugs and paraphernalia discovered in the vehicle, Faamanu told investigators that everything that was inside the bag and the vehicle belonged to him.

In his written statement to investigators, Faamanu stated that the man who owns the drugs is his best friend and he was acting as a runner and he gets paid for his job, which he has done for over two months now.

He said he called Filo to see if she could pick him up to deliver his stuff, as his vehicle was being used to take his family to church. Filo picked him up from his home, and they went to drop off the stuff. Filo instructed him to drive because she was tired and wanted to rest in the back seat of the vehicle.

Faamanu also told investigators that on their way to drop the stuff, he gave a glass pipe containing meth and two marijuana joints to Filo to show his appreciation for helping him.

When asked about his involvement in a hot pursuit with police on the previous night, Faamanu denied any involvement in a hot pursuit with police. He told investigators his wife and children are at a church camp and they have their only family vehicle with them.

Filo was questioned by investigators regarding the glass pipe containing meth found in her possession.

According to Filo’s story, she confirmed Faamanu’s account of her involvement, as well as being shocked when Faamanu gave her the illegal drugs as a thank you for helping him.

She told investigators that she had no idea that there were other illegal drugs with them. However, when police instructed them to pull over, that’s when Faamanu handed her a bag and told her to get out and run. She said she didn’t know what was inside the bag and noted that the glass pipe found inside the car belonged to Faamanu. He placed the glass pipe there when police pulled over their vehicle.

Both Faamanu and Filo were transported to the Territorial Correctional Facility (TCF) where they were booked and confined.

Both made their initial appearances in Court last month.

Faamanu is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth; one count of unlawful possession of meth with the intent to distribute; one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, all felonies.

Filo is charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana, both felonies.

Faamanu’s bail is set at $20,000, and Filo’s at $5,000.

BACKGROUND

Faamanu was convicted by the High Court on the charge of conspiracy to commit fraud and was sentenced to 5-years probation with the condition that he serve a period of detention of 20 months in jail. He was one of the co-defendants involved in a stealing scam at a local supermarket some years ago. Faamanu provided fake receipts to prove that money was received, when it wasn’t.

Filo has been arrested and charged with one count of unlawful possession of meth, after a police raid of her friend’s house in Petesa in February of 2019 in which she was present.

Filo’s case was bound over in High Court, and she remained in custody unable to post a $20,000 surety bond.

However, in March of last year, Filo’s case was dismissed after the court granted the government’s motion to dismiss the case against the defendant. The government cited in their motion to dismiss that Filo was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”