Samoa Police will begin prosecuting domestic violence cases effective September 1, 2023 because of a shortage of manpower at the Attorney General’s office.
Police Commissioner Auapa’au Logoitino Filipo said police prosecution is ready to take on the task.
“The Attorney General requested us as they do not have the manpower to prosecute these cases,” he said.
“For me, we are ready to assist and lend a hand to them.”
Meanwhile, Samoa Observer reports the New Zealand Police are in the country to conduct the second phase of the prosecution training for police officers, which started this week.
Auapa’au said one of the things they raised with the New Zealand Police was to include this training so they could look at other ways they can assist.
He also added the No-Drop Policy, introduced by the Samoa Police, Prisons, and Corrections Services, which will ensure no domestic violence cases are abandoned, even if the victim wants to withdraw the complaint.
