Some 10 months after alleged incident police officer charged

A Department of Public Safety officer who allegedly assaulted another person in June of last year, has been charged with two misdemeanor counts, according to court documents, which make no mention as to why the charges are just now filed when the alleged incident occurred some 10 months ago.

Semi Sago appeared last Friday morning in District Court under a court summons. He is charged with one count each of public peace disturbance — punishable by imprisonment for six months, a fine of $500 or both — and third degree assault, punishable by imprisonment of up to one year, a $1,000 fine or both.

The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint states that police on June 21, 2016 conducted an investigation into an alleged assault of another man, who told police that he was at an auto shop earlier in the day and saw the defendant, who initially greeted the defendant.

The defendant then asked the whereabouts of some of the victim’s friends who had tried to “instigate a fight” with the defendant and the victim had replied that the friends had left for Upolu.

The defendant then asked if the victim “wanted to fight him to which he [victim] replied no because he [defendant] was un a police uniform,” the affidavit alleges. It further alleges that the defendant then “stood up and punched the [victim] in the eye” but the victim ducked and he was punched in the head, instead.

The fight was broken up when the defendant was restrained, the affidavit alleges.

Police also interviewed another man who was present at the auto shop fixing the brakes of a DPS vehicle that was brought into the shop. The man told police he heard the defendant and the victim arguing, which then escalated into the defendant allegedly punching the victim and the defendant’s police partner broke up the fight.

The defendant’s partner was interviewed and explained that he heard some of the conversation between the defendant and the victim, while on his cell phone. He heard the defendant ask about the whereabouts of the victim’s friends “from a previous incident,” escalating into the defendant saying the victim “should watch out before someone gets a beating.”

The victim replied that if the defendant was not in a police uniform, he would not be making threats, according to the affidavit quoting the defendant’s police partner, who said he thought the defendant and the victim “were only joking”.

While still on his cell phone, the defendant’s partner “heard fighting sounds” and looked up to see defendant punching the victim, and he intervened to break up the fight, the affidavit alleges.

When interviewed by phone, the defendant allegedly “admitted to punching” the victim twice after he was frustrated that the victim and others had tried to beat him up with his son in the car.

Because the defendant appeared in District Court via a court summons, no bail was set and therefore he is released on his own recognizance and another hearing is set for May 16.

District Court Judge Fiti A. Sunia told the defendant not to make any contact with government witnesses in this case.

Assistant attorney general Woodrow Pengelly represented the government, while the defendant was represented by legal counsel Marcellus Tala Uiagaleleli.