Samoa Police

  Police Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil told Talamua Media the raid targeted Pati Chong Nee and another man alleged to have threatened officers by firing a firearm on Monday.

Fuiavailili said the raid took place at Tapatapao, an inland village southwest of Apia.

Police believed Chong Nee was being harboured there alongside Sosene Asomaliu.

However neither were found.

Police say they acted on intelligence that Chong Nee was still in the area.

During the raid a man was arrested for aiding and harbouring the escaped convict.

The Samoa Observer newspaper reports Sergeant 

Police have released photos of the escapees and are warning the public not to approach any of them but to contact Samoa Police.

All off-duty police officers were recalled Monday night after police received a report of the breakout from the Corrections Service.

The escapees are serving prison time for serious crimes.  

According to RNZ Pacific, a source at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole hospital said around 20 prison officers were brought in for medical treatment with injuries reportedly caused by altercations with prisoners during the escape.

Loabay owner Gago Fa'au Gago used a cellphone to film the fire.

A police officer tried to stop the accused from filming the incident that has been described as a domestic violence dispute.

Police said the woman was stabbed multiple times before her husband set fire to the petrol station and killed himself.

Gago is scheduled to appear in the district court on 20 March.

Meanwhile, the Samoa Media Council is considering a complaint from the Journalists' Association of Samoa regarding the alleged offence.

Presiding over the bail hearing Supreme Court, Justice Tafaoimalo granted bail to the two defendants.

The bail conditions imposed by the Court include;
• prohibiting any post anything related to this case on social media
• not to have any contact with an alleged conspirator overseas
• not to approach or associate or have any contact with the alleged victim, and any police witnesses.
• sign in with police twice a week.

Police say Pa'uvi Limu used a hammer to break a window to get into the room before walking out the front door.

An officer saw Pa'uvi walk out and thought he was a policeman but got suspicious when he checked the room and found it had been broken into.

The officer pursued Pa'uvi and apprehended him a couple of villages from the station.

The marijuana was part of a haul of more than 400 plants taken during a 2019 raid at Faleatiu village.

 Sergeant Khamtahn Stanley has been suspended but it is not known what role, if any, he played, the Samoa Observer reports.

Police Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, confirmed the suspension but declined to provide any further comment.

Penitito Toma, died on Sunday night at the Tupua Tamasese Hospital, after allegedly suffering a beating.

Police say alcohol is suspected to have been a contributing factor.

The church's general secretary, the Reverend Eteuati Tuioti, said an internal investigation ended with the minister confessing to the rape.

The minister was immediately dismissed, he said.

"The Ministerial meeting endorsed the decision to dismiss the church minster of his role permanently," the general secretary said.

Police told the Samoa Observer that the man was in custody and would soon appear in court.

A preliminary investigation indicates the men were armed when they broke into the home of the victims at Vaitele on Saturday night.

Criminal charges filed against the four men range from murder, attempted murder, burglary and theft, armed with dangerous weapon and assault.

Two of the suspects charged with murder and attempted murder have been remanded in custody until the 28 November 2019 for mention, whilst the other two have also been remanded in custody until 18 November 2019 for court mention.

The victims were businesspeople who were attacked on Saturday night in a house in the Vaitele industrial area, police said.

Two knives covered with blood were found at the crime scene.

Police suspect the businessmen were robbed.

Investigations are continuing.

It's the second attack against Chinese business operators this year after a couple, who operate a supermarket at Vailoa Faleata, were attacked and robbed by two escaped prisoners in February.

The prisoners stole about $US27,000.