Wife reports being assaulted by husband over ‘aitalafu’ shopping

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On January 20, 2025, a concerned neighbor called the Tafuna Police Substation (TPS) to report that a female was seeking help after she was allegedly assaulted by her husband.

The husband was apprehended and later charged with:

Count 1 & 3: Private Peace Disturbance (DV), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of $300 but not more than $150, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2 & 4: Assault in the Third Degree, 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 $500.

(Samoa News has withheld the names of those involved to protect the identity of the victim in this case.)

According to the court affidavit, on Jan. 20th, at about 5:45 p.m., a female (later identified as the reporter) contacted the TPS and reported that a female (later identified as the victim) came crying at her house. The victim stated that her husband allegedly assaulted her.

Police officers proceeded to the said call and upon arrival at the scene at about 5:50 p.m., they met with an unknown female (victim) and she briefed them regarding the incident.

According to the victim, she stated that she had a seizure and she was beaten by her husband who was still inside their house.

The victim directed the officers inside the house where the officers observed an unknown male come out from a room. The officers asked him if he was the victim’s husband and he said “yes”.

The suspect was informed regarding the said matter and he was apprehended and placed in the back of the police unit.

The victim was also informed that she needed to proceed to the EMS personnel to check her vitals and provide a statement. Both suspect and victim were transported to the TPS for further investigation.

According to the victim’s statement, at about 10:00 a.m., she went with her husband to the store to buy some food. Out of nowhere, her husband came and yelled at her about an IOU at their nearest Chinese store. The cashier had informed her husband regarding the three times she had shopped via credit (aitalafu).

The victim stated that they returned back home and while sitting inside her room, her husband came and started arguing with her. She told her husband that the reason why she did credit shopping was to prepare food for him and her father.

However, her husband slapped her on the right side of her head three times but she didn’t report it.

Furthermore, the second incident happened at about 5:30 p.m. on the same date. The victim stated that she was going to grab bread and a can of corned beef to eat because she was hungry. However, her husband was still mad and told her to stop. Her husband then walked towards her and punched her five times with his closed fists. She then ran to the neighbor’s house and asked for help and requested for them to call the police.

The suspect was Mirandized to which he understood and agreed to make a statement.

According to the suspect’s verbal statement, “he knew his wife had seizures but he already told her not to do anymore credit shopping”. The suspect stated that the amount due was more than $80 and it is him that pays it all.

He then stated that they started arguing and he slapped his wife and told her not to do anymore aitalafu shopping.

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

EMS arrived at the TPS and checked the victim’s vitals which were okay and there were no injuries observed except for redness on her face.

The defendant is identified as a 40-year-old citizen of Tonga. The victim is identified as a 21-year-old U.S National.