Associate Justice Fiti Sunia did not approve a plea agreement between the government and drug defendant Faletoi Misiluti after Misiluti said he did not possess any controlled substances.
The Samoa News reports that Misiluti was initially charged with one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (marijuana). However, a plea agreement that was read in court would have him pleading guilty to the reduced charge of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), a Class D felony.
According to the plea agreement, Misiluti was to admit that on May 14, 2019 in Vaitogi, he unlawfully possessed one hand-rolled marijuana cigarette when police conducted a body search.
But when the judge asked the defendant if he admits that on May 14 he unlawfully possessed one hand rolled marijuana cigarette, Misiluti said, “No.”
Sunia immediately rejected the plea agreement and scheduled another pretrial conference on the matter for October 24, 2019.
