After arrest for PPD and assault, man advised to turn over passport — and it's not his

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Assistant Public Defender Anna Wells has been told by District Court Judge Fiti Sunia to advise her client to turn over the passport in his possession because "that could be a separate charge altogether."

Taito appeared in District Court last Friday on a motion to modify release conditions.

The motion was denied. A pretrial conference is set for Feb. 28

During Friday's proceedings, it was revealed that Taito has in his possession, a passport belonging to someone else, and he has refused to turn it over.

Judge Sunia told him the passport in question has to be turned over to Immigration.

Taito is facing private peace disturbance and assault charges stemming from an incident last year.

MAYNE SIAUMAU JR

Pretrial conference for Mayne Siaumau Jr is set for Feb 28

Last Friday in District Court, he made his initial appearance on a summons, and bond was set at $500

He has entered a 'not guilty' plea to the charge against him.If he is able to post bond, Siaumau Jr is ordered to abide by standard conditions of release, and he is not to possess any weapons.

Siaumau Jr appeared in High Court last Thursday where his probation was revoked, after he admitted during an Order to Show Cause hearing last November that he violated the condition of probation that required him to be law abiding.

While on probation, Siaumau was arrested and charged with second degree property damage, public peace disturbance, and third degree assault.

Siaumau was serving a 5-year probation sentence for assault convictions (High Court), and 3 years for public peace disturbance (District Court).

But probation revocation last week resulted in him being remanded back to custody, to serve out 5 years.

FALENIU LAND DISPUTE

The government is requesting more time to sort through the facts of a land dispute case in Faleniu that resulted in five people being arrested and charged last year.

Kuinise Moeai, Romas Napoleone, Malologa Heather, Fuefuealii Talili and Lavania Fruean were scheduled for a pretrial conference last Thursday, Jan. 31 in District Court.

However, the matter has been continued to Feb. 27

All five defendants are facing charges of public peace disturbance and third degree assault.

Fruean, Napoleone, Heather, and Talili appeared in court. But Moeai was not present, as she is reportedly off island.

"She was not supposed to leave without a court order," said Judge Sunia. (See last Friday's Samoa News for details).