Tafuna resident reports alleged domestic abuse incident

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On December 2, 2024, a neighbor called the Tafuna Police Station (TPS) to report an alleged domestic violence case. The reporter stated she heard people arguing and someone being assaulted.

The suspect was arrested and charged with:

Count 1, 3, & 5: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300., or both;

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree ( As a C Misd.) (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300., or both;

Count 4: Assault in the Third Degree (As a A Misd.) (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000., or both; and

Count 6: False Imprisonment (DV), a class A misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of $1,000., or both.

The defendant’s bail was set at $3,000..

According to the affidavit, on Dec. 2nd, at about 8:58 a.m., a female individual (reporter) reported a domestic dispute at her residence. She stated that a male individual known as Fa'amanu Povi assaulted his girlfriend.

Police officers responded to the call and upon arrival they met up with the reporter who stated that she heard the couple arguing the whole morning and the suspect assaulted the victim last night. The reporter pointed out the room in their shop at which the victim and suspect were staying.

The officers approached the room and observed the victim lying on the bed with visible bruises on her facial area and a look of distress while the suspect was standing beside her.

Police officers apprehended the suspect and placed him inside the police unit.

The victim was interviewed and she stated that this wasn't the first time they had argued and she was assaulted. The victim explained that the argument started last night, December 1, 2024.

The suspect got mad at her because he assumed that she was seeing someone else. After a long verbal altercation, the suspect got furious and punched her twice on the left side of her face. Then, on the morning of Dec. 2nd, she was getting ready for work when she was held back by the suspect. The suspect told her that she can’t go to work unless she admits that she’s seeing someone else. He then proceeded to block the door so she couldn’t exit.

The victim further stated that the suspect threatened her and cursed at her.

The reporter told police that this isn’t the first incident. She said that the suspect has assaulted the victim many times, but the victim just sits and obeys what he says. The reporter also confirmed that the suspect has threatened to end the victim’s life if she calls the police.

Moreover, today, when she got back from dropping off her kids to school, she and her husband heard the suspect cussing at the victim. The reporter stated that both her and her husband heard the suspect threaten to punch and beat up the victim because he assumed that the victim was seeing someone else.

The suspect was taken to the TPS for further investigation. Upon arrival at the station, the suspect was Mirandized and agreed to make a statement.

According to the suspect, “they had an argument due to his assumption that the victim was seeing another man behind his back”. The suspect admitted that he always gets mad and cusses at her for lying.

He claimed that on Nov. 28, 2024, he noticed that the victim was making eye contact with another man where they stayed. He waited until they went into their room and slapped her twice in the face.

In addition, the suspect stated that on Dec. 1st, they also argued over the same reason. He said he doesn’t like it when the victim lies to him and when he tries to get close to her, she would flinch due to fear that he might beat her up.

At that time, he grabbed the victim’s hands that were covering her face and pulled it away from her face. He claimed that as the victim yanked her hands back, she accidentally hit herself in the face causing the bruises on her left cheek. He stated that he snapped her left pinky to remove her hand from her face.

When the officers asked the suspect if he had punched the victim’s mouth, the suspect denied doing such a thing. He said that the only time he assaulted her was during the incident before Thanksgiving Day and on December 1st, 2024.

The injuries observed on the victim were a swollen left pinky and a bruise on the left side of her face.

The suspect was booked and confined at the Tafuna Correctional Facility awaiting the next available sitting of the District Court.