Chief Immigration Officer, Tamasa Dennis Fuimaono Lutu was sentenced this morning by Chief Justice Michael Kruse to 14 days imprisonment and a fine of $1,000 for contempt of court order.
The defendant’s sentencing was postponed from last week Friday in the absence of Deputy Attorney General, Mitzie Jessop-Ta’ase who was off-island but returned Friday night.
Before sentencing was handed down, four witnesses took the stand in sworn testimonies for the Chief Immigration Officer.
The witnesses included Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Fagamalama Fualaau, a senior employee of the Immigration, Paelo Puni, Vaifanua Representative Mauga Legae’e who is a friend of the CIO, and the defendant’s wife, Sandra Aigalesala Fuimaono Lutu who asked the court for leniency on her husband’s case.
Mrs. Lutu told the court that her husband of 11 years is an honest man, a leader to his family who looks up to him for decision making and a father to their children, 3 whom have returned from missions.
The 59-year-old Tamasa himself took the stand and apologized to the Chief Justice and the court for his failure to live up to being a leader of integrity as reflected by several testimonies on his behalf.
He said his failure is also a contradiction to how he was brought up by his parents and what he had promoted to the future of American Samoa while a teacher of Criminal Justice at the American Samoa Community College.
Defense attorney Mark Ude asked the court for a light sentence for his client.
The Chief Justice during sentencing referred to a statement by immigration officer Puni Paelo that their staff has been told and they understand that court orders or subpoenas must be taken seriously.
Kruse said he hope the defendant has learned something.
He made it clear to prosecutor Deputy AG Mitzie Jessop Taase whom he did not seek any comments from before sentencing that the defendant is not eligible for work release.
The court found that the CIO did not testifully truthfully when called to explain why he was not at a court hearing in July of last year. Tamasa said he was not told the new date of a hearing that had been continued. He had been called to testify as to why a convicted sex offender who was banned from the territory managed to re-enter the territory even though his name was on a “look out list” of prohibited individuals
