Court Report

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On September 21, 2023, at 12:55 PM a woman called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) reporting that she had been assaulted by a woman in Nu’uuli in front of the Litani building.

Officers responded to the call and arrived at the Litani building, where they observed two women, later identified as Zhang Fengling and Dang Jinxia, yelling at each other, as Jinxia was holding her two-year-old son.

Both women were then transported to the TPS where they were both Mirandized and interviewed.

According to Fengling, she called Jinxia shameless, and Jinxia in turn allegedly approached her and slapped her across the face. Fengling says that made her angry, which resulted in her scratching Jinxia in the face. Jinxia then took her child inside the Litani building, came back out and allegedly punched Fengling in the face.

DPS officers asked Fengling why they were arguing, and she claimed that Jinxia had had an affair with her husband and that she had posted his nude photos online.

On her side, Jinxia stated that she went to the Litani building to buy a charger, and that’s when she saw Fengling standing outside the building. She then walked inside the store with her two-year-old son and that’s when Fengling walked into the store and scratched her on the face as she was holding her son.

Angered, Jinxia says that she put her son down and ran outside to pursue Fengling, and then proceeded to punch her in the face.

During the interview of both women, officers obtained CCTV footage from the Litani building, where it revealed Jinxia walking inside the Litani building with her son and showed Fengling entering the building — both were arguing with each other.

One of the employees of the Litani building attempted to mediate the situation, but failed when Fengling allegedly scratched Jinxia in the face.

An eyewitness that was present during the altercation said that as he was walking towards the building, he saw Jinxia run out of the Litani building, and hit Fengling in the face, and he intervened to prevent further fighting.

After processing, both women were transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility (TCF) to await their arraignment in court.

Fengling is charged with two counts – public peace disturbance and assault in the third degree, with bail set at $300.

Jinxia is charged with public peace disturbance and assault in the third degree, and her bail is also set at $300.

MAN WHO STOLE CELL PHONE APPREHENDED BY VICTIM

A man approached DPS officers on September 26, 2023 in front of K.F. Store, after pursuing and catching a man who stole his phone in front of the store in Nu’uuli.

According to the aggrieved, he and his father were dropping off a delivery at the Litani Store in Nu’uuli. While inside, Thomas Eseroma, the suspect, stood outside next to their van. The victim’s father then saw Eseroma running and asked the victim if he had his phone on him. The victim said his phone was inside the vehicle, and his father then advised him to go check the van and when he did, he discovered his phone was missing.

The victim then pursued Eseroma and caught him in front of another store, where the suspect returned the phone and apologized to him.

After police officers were apprised of the situation Eseroma was apprehended and transported to the TPS for further questioning.

Eseroma admitted to stealing the phone from their delivery van and stated that he stole the phone because he had the chance to do it.

Eseroma was charged with one count of stealing with bail set at $300.

YOUNG MAN THREATENS HIS FAMILY

A woman called the Fagatogo Police Station (FPS) on September 25, 2023 at 11:02 PM, requiring assistance in subduing her son, Runny Toala, who was allegedly intoxicated and being unruly to family members at their residence in Aua. 

As the officers were making their way to the residence in Aua at 11:07 PM, they were informed that the defendant had left the house and a description of the clothes he was wearing was provided.

As officers were attempting to locate the house, they observed an unknown male matching the description of the defendant in question, accompanied by another unknown individual, who was later identified as the defendant’s father and a victim in this scenario. 

The father told officers that Toala came home intoxicated and started yelling and attempted to hit the father’s younger son. The father says he told Toala to stop, but Toala replied back by threatening to cut him into pieces with a machete. 

The father then told officers that after that, he, his wife, and other children were afraid to sleep after receiving threats from Toala. 

Toala was apprehended at the scene and was transported to the FPS to be booked and processed for confinement at TCF. During booking, officers detected a strong alcoholic odor emitting from the defendant’s breath, slurred speech, and bloodshot eyes. 

Toala is charged with one count of private peace disturbance and bail is set at $500.