A man has been charged with second degree arson for allegedly burning down a storage room and a umu, or outside cookhouse, next to a family home in Manu’a.
David Sasagi was arraigned in the High Court yesterday in connection with the fire that occurred three days before Christmas. Marine Patrol officers served Sasagi with an arrest warrant in Ta’u, Manu’a, earlier this month and transported him to the Territorial Correctional Facility.
According to the government’s case, when Sasagi went to the family home to ask for beer, the owner stated there was only one beer left, the one he was currently drinking.
Sasagi then left but later returned and allegedly tried to force open the family’s back door.
The home owner claimed to have caught a glimpse of Sasagi carrying a machete, at which point he allegedly yelled at Sasagi and opened the door. The owner then used the machete to strike the defendant in the back.
Sasagi took off and shortly afterwards a neighbor alerted the home owner that the back of his house and umu were on fire.
Sasagi told police that he went to the victim’s house, the night of the incident and asked for beer but the owner left without responding.
After waiting in the umu for thirty minutes, the defendant said that he left burning charcoal on dry coconut husks.
The kitchen and storage room were damaged in the resulting fire.
Sasagi is being held on bail of $5,000.
