Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A young woman was arrested and later charged after she made threatening remarks to a court marshal when she entered District Court this week.

A source told Samoa News that the young woman went through the court marshal’s security checkpoint at the District Court front door. When questioned by a court marshal about what was inside her bag, the young woman replied, “I got a gun inside my bag.”

The court marshal asked the young woman twice what was inside her bag and she gave the same answer —  that she had a gun in her bag. That is when the young woman was detained by the court marshal and later charged.

The woman made her initial appearance before District Court Judge, Acting Associate Justice Elvis P. Patea.

She is charged with making threatening remarks and was released on her own recognizance awaiting her next court appearance next month.

(Samoa News notes that it is supposed there was no gun in her bag.)

HENRY NAASONA

The driver of a blue pick-up truck pulled over by police officers last month for failure to stop at a stop sign is now charged with violating local drug laws.

Henry Naasona was taken into custody when police discovered two small baggies containing white crystalline substance in his possession.

The government claims that while two police officers were patrolling along the Tafuna highway last month, they observed a blue pick-up truck coming from the Fogagogo road and made a right turn without stopping at a stop sign.

As a result, the blue pick-up truck almost collided with another vehicle coming from Iliili road heading east. Police officers pulled the pick-up over and officers observed that a male was the driver.

After informing the driver of the reason for the traffic stop, the driver was identified as Henry Naasona, 42-year old male from Iliili. He told police that he was in a rush to pick up his wife from home to take her to the hospital.

During the conversation, officers smelled a strong odor of alcohol coming from the driver’s breath. When asked if he was under the influence of alcohol, the driver replied, “Yes, and I also got some stuff on me.” Officers asked the driver what stuff he’s referring to, the driver replied, “illegal meth”.

It was at that time the driver pulled out two small baggies containing a white substance and handed it over to police officers, along with one baggie containing marijuana leaves. A pat down was conducted and nothing else was found. The driver was later transported to the Tafuna Police Station for more investigation. His vehicle was also impounded by police.

After being Mirandized, Naasona told investigators that he understood his rights and he wished to make a statement.

According to Naasona’s written and verbal statement to investigators, he went to Fogagogo to drop off his brother-in-law at his house. Before he left his brother-in-law’s residence the brother-in-law gave him one medium baggie with something inside. He opened the medium baggie and discovered two stamp sized baggies containing methamphetamine and another stamp sized baggie containing marijuana dried leaves.

He asked his brother-in-law what the stuff is about and he replied, “That’s my fare.” Naasona refused to reveal his brother-in-law’s name.

Naasona made his initial appearance in court last month.

He’s charged with one count of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and one of unlawful possession of marijuana, both unclassified felonies, along with a class A misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI).

Bail was set at $5,000.