Assault victim says her husband claims she was having an affair

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On December 19, 2024, a victim of domestic violence contacted the police station and reported that she was allegedly assaulted by her husband after he accused her of having an affair.

The suspect was arrested and later charged with:

Count 1: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300, or both; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000, or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $500.

According to the court affidavit, on Dec. 19th, at approximately 9:00 a.m., a female individual (victim) reported that she had been involved in a verbal argument with her husband (suspect) when he struck her a couple of times during the altercation.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival at the scene they were approached by the victim, who identified the suspect’s location.

The officers proceeded towards the area where they observed beer bottles on a nearby table. The suspect was seated on the porch and appeared distressed and trying to catch his breath. The suspect was apprehended immediately without resistance.

Both the suspect and victim were transported to the police station for further investigation.

Upon interviewing the suspect, he identified himself as Vaiamanu Toelei.

The officers observed that the suspect had red, bloodshot eyes and detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from his breath. The suspect verbally admitted to becoming angry after discovering his wife on the phone with another man, which led to an argument between them.

The victim was also interviewed, and she appeared distressed and anxious. She identified herself and provided details regarding the altercation with her husband.

According to her written statement, the incident began when the suspect became angry with her doing laundry in the evening. She explained that he questioned why she didn’t complete the task earlier in the day and accused her of engaging in suspicious behavior, implying she might have been doing something inappropriate. Moreover, the victim stated that the suspicion led to a confrontation between them, escalating into a verbal argument.

During the argument, the suspect slapped her twice on the right cheek and once on the left cheek. She explained that her brother-in-law intervened and distanced the suspect from her.

Upon inquiry, the victim refused the EMS paramedic’s assistance in assessing potential injuries.

The suspect was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The defendant is identified as a 40-year-old citizen of Samoa.