Six juveniles from the village of Vailoa have been identified as suspects in the break-in and vandalism at Leone High School over the festive season.
This was revealed by Commissioner of Public Safety Le’i Sonny Thompson during a House Public Safety Committee hearing this morning with Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga Tasi Asuega and Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale.
The main topic of the hearing was how far the authority of the village aumaga extends to public property.
Tuala-tai Representative Timusa Tini Lam Yuen said it has been over a month since the break-in and vandalism and there’s been no police report.
He said the Vailoa Village Council wants to deal with the suspects but cannot until the police report is turned in.
The Leone High School Principal has also been waiting for the police report of the incident.
Commissioner Le’i said police have completed their investigation and forwarded their report to the Attorney General’s Office.
It’s his recommendation that the six suspects be prosecuted.
Because all six are juveniles, the law provides special protection of their identities but he said it was his recommendation that they be charged.
The hearing was prompted by reports of alleged assault by members of the Nu’uuli aumaga on the public highway.
Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga and Attorney General Talauega said village aumaga have an important role to play in enforcement of the law and protection of villages.
Mauga said that it has been explained repeatedly at the fortnightly meetings with pulenuu that under no circumstances should village aumaga use physical force in their policing.
If there are any incidents they should contact police and let them deal with the situation.
Mauga told the meeting that with the scourge of drugs in villages, pulenuu can help police monitor those who are involved in drugs.
He said in his village of Pago Pago any person found to be using or selling drugs will be punished by the village.
Mauga, who has spoken repeatedly at cabinet meetings and at other public events about the need for the whole territory to deal with the drug problem, said he had told the governor, “It’s not enough to just send drug users to prison.”
He said the prison is overcrowded and cannot hold all of them. “The territory needs a rehabilitation center to treat drug users and lead them back to being productive members of the community,” said Mauga.
