Land dispute fight sees 4 arrested

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On November 5, 2024, a female individual contacted the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report a land dispute between two families that resulted in a fight.

Four suspects were arrested but only Tufi Misipeka was charged with:

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

The defendant’s bail was set at $300.

(The other three suspects included a minor, who was later released to her mother. The other two were not noted as charged.)

According to the affidavit, on Nov. 5th, at about 5:15 p.m., a female individual contacted the TPS and reported a land dispute between two families.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival observed and heard a female individual (later identified as Amuia Te’o shouting at another female individual (later identified as Rhonda Leota) and her family, while another female (Tufi Misipeka) was crying on Amuia Te’o’s chest.

Police officers approached Amuia where she pointed out Rhonda and her sister (a minor) and stated that they beat up ‘my sister’.

Police officers spoke with Rhonda and her sister, and they were then placed inside the police unit. The officers also approached Tufi who was sitting inside her family’s private vehicle and asked her if she could explain what had happened.

Tufi responded by yelling profanities at the officers and told them to go away. Tufi was apprehended and placed inside the police unit.

Tufi, Rhonda and her sister were transported to the TPS for further investigation.

Witnesses were also advised to proceed to the TPS for questioning.

The officers also requested medical assistance for the injured individuals.

Upon arrival at the TPS, Tufi, Rhonda and her sister were placed separately inside interrogation rooms. Video footage was also provided by Rhonda and her sister’s mother.

According to the video footage, it showed that Tufi pulled down her shorts and bent over showing her bare buttocks to the Leota family. Tufi then started walking forward still flashing her bare buttocks at the Leota family.

According to a witness, he was present during the incident and he witnessed a physical altercation between Tufi and Rhonda where they were pulling each other’s hair. The witness stated that he intervened to stop the fight but during the altercation both women fell to the ground and rolled back and forth. Rhonda’s younger brother also stepped in to help stop the fight.

The witness claimed that Amuia Te’o was the one, who instigating the situation by exchanging insults and swearing at the Leota family.

He also stated that the incident between the two families stemmed from a dispute over a fence built by Amuia and Tufi’s parents. He also claimed that the matai from the family had opened the fence which escalated tensions and led to the altercation.

Another witness also stated that she was making her way to Malaeimi when they noticed that the road had been opened and the rock wall had been altered to create an exit road. Tufi and Amuia and their family approached, leading to a physical altercation between the two girls. A shirtless boy then intervened, pushing Tufi to the ground and she was beaten by multiple individuals.

At about 6:41 p.m., Tufi Misipeka was Mirandized where she understood and agreed to make a statement.

According to Tufi, at about 5 p.m., she and her sister drove to their property where they discovered that the family residing on the other side of their rock wall had once again destroyed the wall to create a road leading to their house.

She explained that two weeks earlier, the same family had removed the wall which prompted her sister Amuia to contact the police. She stated they also met with a family member, who apologized and advised them to block the road. Following this, her family hired a backhoe to close the road.

Upon finding the road open again, they observed the other family, including children, teenagers and possibly adults playing volleyball on their property. They confronted the family and asked about the road, they also requested that the parents come forward.

Tufi also claimed that they also noticed the family’s truck parked on their property despite previous requests to remove it. Moreover, when the parents came out, one of their daughters, who owns the truck, joined the discussion. The daughter insisted she had the right to park there. Tension escalated and she and the girl stood face to face, each asserting their position on the matter.

She said during the confrontation, Rhonda struck her on the left side of her head. When she turned around, she saw another female and she defended herself. The altercation continued when a boy pushed her down and told her to leave his sister alone. Soon, multiple individuals hit her while she was on the ground until her family intervened and separated them. Tufi claimed that she blacked out and can only recall fragments of what occurred next. She stated she remembered talking to her uncle and later arguing with police officers while writing her statement.

Rhonda Leota was also Mirandized where she understood and agreed to make a statement. According to Rhonda, while she was in her room relaxing and her parents were inside their house, her siblings called from outside, informing them that the woman from a prior incident had returned. I

nitially, Rhonda stated she wasn’t concerned, but as soon as she heard her sibling shouting that the woman was threatening to stone her car, she quickly ran outside and her parents followed.

Moreover, when she got outside she saw Amuia cursing at her parents and threatening them. When Amuia saw her she called her out. She stated a woman tapped her on the shoulder where she calmly removed her hand considering she was pregnant but her sister intervened.

 Rhonda’s minor sister was also Mirandized where she understood and also agreed to make a statement.

According to the minor, the group had been playing volleyball in the evening when Amuia and her family approached and informed them that they were not allowed on the land. They were then chased off the land and instructed to open the gates for vehicle access. Tufi and her sister yelled profanities at them and they went and informed their parents. Tufi then allegedly threw her sister’s car with rocks. It was Tufi, who called the police and also confronted her pregnant sister for looking at her.

The minor alleged that Tufi then pushed her pregnant sister and her brother helped her. She also stated that she attempted to stop the fight but Tufi then directed her anger towards her by pulling her hair and hitting her arm. This led to a fight that involved both sisters.

Amuia Te’o was also Mirandized where she also understood and agreed to make a statement. According to Amuia, she and her sister Tufi, along with their auntie and uncle were on their way to their friend’s house. Upon approaching their property, they observed children playing volleyball on their side of the land. Amuia noted that two weeks prior, the family across from them had removed the rock fence they had set up, which was similar to the current incident. This was reportedly the third occurrence, despite multiple police reports filed on the matter which led to a major dispute involving verbal and physical altercation among the families involved.

Tufi Misipeka, Rhonda Leota and Amuia Te’o were subsequently booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to be confined until the next available sitting of the District Court.

The minor had a juvenile booking prepared and was later released to the custody of her mother.