Market brawl

Junior Pauli and Viliamu Touli were convicted of intentional damage while another man, Tommy Fiu, has been convicted of possessing an unlicensed firearm.

Fiu was discharged and put under probation for 12 months and was also ordered to pay $US95 in court costs.

The three defendants were charged as a result of a brawl between youths of Salelavalu and Salelologa villages.

A village orator and a former ruling HRPP party MP, Fiu Loimata, representing Salelologa village in court, had asked for leniency for the three men.

A senior police officer says the three men have been brought from Savaii to the main police office in Apia for further investigation.

The trio have been charged in relation to the video posted on social media in which a rifle was pointed to the face of a man from Salelologa village.

Two other men from Salelavalu village have also been charged with the alleged offence.

Meanwhile, three Salelologa youths have been charged with offences relating to the damages to business vendor's properties at Salelologa market.

The investigations are continuing.

The couple saw their son on a video posted on social media damaging market stalls last week with several other youths.

He is one of the five suspects from Salelologa on the island Savai'i wanted by police in connection to violence with youths from Salelavalu village.

Police said the youth handed in by his parents has been interviewed and will be transferred to police headquarters in Apia.

Two other men from the same village were handed into police yesterday by the village matai council but were found not to be involved in the alleged criminal offending.

A police spokesperson said the names of five suspects were given to the village chiefs and orators of Salelologa last week after interviewing eye witnesses.

The police said they would apprehend the suspects this week.

The investigation is also focussed on the damages to small business vendor's goods and belongings caused at Salelologa market last Monday.

Only two youths from Salelavalu village have been charged and will appear in court in two weeks' time.