Samoa Police

Police consider the pair dangerous and have warned the public not to approach, Lauititi Tualima and Aniseko Vaelei, who escaped early yesterday morning.

The pair are serving time for a number of offences including robbery, rape, burglary and theft.

The new multi-million dollar prison has a high security fence but work is still underway for its completion. The prison was opened in June.

Meanwhile, one of the men, Lauititi Tualima, had also escaped from the old Tafaigata prison and while on the run raped an Australian tourist.

The two escapees namely Lauitiiti Tualima and Aniseko Vaelei are both considered dangerous and not to be approached by members of the public. Both prisoners have previously been convicted on charges of Rape, Burglary and Theft, Robbery and Escape from Prison.

We kindly ask members of the public to contact SPS directly on phone number 22222 or contact any nearest Police Station if you have any information of their whereabouts.

Samoa Police Service wishes to thank members of the public for their ongoing assistance.
 

The first occurred on Saturday in Lefaga where a one-year-old boy is believed to have drowned behind the family home.

The police said the child was left unsupervised.

The second death was that of a four-year-old girl in Ti'avea, who died on Sunday after being hit by a mini-van while she was crossing the road.

The police said the driver has been charged with negligent driving causing death.

Then on Monday, a three-year-old was killed while watching television with her siblings when the television fell on her head.

The Samoa Observer newspaper reported Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil has confirmed the suspensions.

The commissioner said the criminal charges against one of the officers is over the alleged possession of an unlicensed pistol.

Inspector Ituau Ale and Sergeant Shrikrishna Schwenke were officially suspended last week but it has not been revealed which one of them is facing criminal charges.

Fuiavailili warned that if police commit misconduct he will deal with it swiftly.

The Samoa Observer reported the Commissioner of Police, Fuiavailili Egon Keil saying four men from Samalaeulu village have been charged over the killing.

Savaii police superintendent Sala'a Sale Sala'a said the dead man was from the same village as the accused men.

He said it was unclear what provoked the attack, but the alleged assailants had been drinking.

The men, who are now in custody on Upolu, will appear in court next month.

The Police Commissioner Fuiavaili'ili Egon Keil has cautioned against violence in the process.

"Our plea to the families in this area is to keep the peace and let the police do their job," he said.

Last week a member of one of the families involved told the Samoa Observer newspaper that she would not vacate the land.

"They can dig a mass grave and bury us in it, or kill us," said Aiga Tokuma.

"Only then they [the Government] can occupy this land; but we will not go down without a fight," she said.

Earlier this month, police arrested and charged three suspects over the alleged plot to kill Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi.

This week Newsline Samoa reported that police had arrested a fourth suspect.

But Police Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil said this was not true.

Fuiavailili also told KHJ News it was important the public continued to co-operate with police.

Matai in Laulii village, where one of the three defendants is from, alerted police about the plot, he said.

Police said two youths were in custody facing assault charges following an ambush, which used Facebook to lure their victim.

The use of social media to instigate violence reflected negatively on the community, police said.

The defendants are due in court on 9 September.

They were caught on video assaulting a 17-year-old at Savalalo market a week ago.

Sources close to the inquiry have indicated that a Samoan man living in Australia is alleged to have been involved by sending money to two of the three suspects already charged.

The money had been spent in hiring a vehicle to carry out the plot, including the search for a weapon.

Last Friday the police say the evidence includes the use of social media from within and outside of Samoa.

Two of the accused have been remanded in custody until 26 August 2019 for mention.

Police said they would not release further details due to the seriousness of the allegation and the investigation is ongoing.

The matter was reported to Samoa Police Service on 13 August following a tip-off by the Lauli’i Village Council.

Police said their evidence includes the use of social media both inside and outside of Samoa.