Businessman “confused and shocked” when barred from boarding flight to Samoa

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A business owner trying to leave American Samoa for Samoa this week Tuesday was told that he was not allowed to leave due to a stop order issued by the Attorney General’s Office that the airline informed him about when they refused to allow him to board.

Due to the sensitive nature of the incident, the business owner has asked Samoa News to not identify his name or business publicly at this time.

When contacted by Samoa News, for the reason behind the stop order, his wife said, that they “both were confused and shocked” to hear, as there has been no notice given to them, and they are not even sure why her husband has been stopped.

Usually a person being stopped at the border could be involved or suspected of a crime.

However, the wife said, her "husband has been advised by the airline agent, to contact the Office of the Attorney General (AG) as there is a stop order against him, for permission to leave the territory.”

They’ve done that, she said, but only to be given a copy of the stop order right there at the AG’s Office.

Asked why her husband was leaving, she said, “He had a return ticket to attend a family faalavelave in Samoa and he was supposed to return before the end of this week.”

In the meantime due to the confusion, they are now looking at seeking assistance from their lawyer.

In an interview with the Chief of Police Pouu’amea Tuaolo Supapo, she told Samoa News on the phone that “police have already done their investigation, and had turned the outcome over to the Office of the Attorney General.”

Samoa News understands the stop order revolves around a dispute with a police officer that happened on Oct. 27 at a nightclub in Tafuna.

Asking about the officer and the incident, Chief of Police Supapo replied that “the officer is on leave,” and she wasn’t sure if he has left the island.

She would not say much about the incident that landed the police officer at the hospital for treatment, but said he is the victim, not a suspect.