Defendant held without bail after alleged assault

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On November 28, 2025, a victim of an alleged assault called the Tafuna Police Substation requesting assistance after Siokatame Mila threatened him in his home, according to court documents filed in District Court on December 02, 2025.

The suspect later fled the scene but was later arrested and charged with:

Count 1: Public Peace Disturbance, a class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $500, or both imprisonment and fine; and,

Count 2: Assault in the Third Degree (As a Class C Misd.), a class C misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to fifteen days, a fine of not more than $300, or both.

The defendant was held without bail.

According to the court affidavit, a man (later identified as the victim) called the TPS. The victim alleged that he had been threatened by Mr. Mila, aka “Ray” (later identified as the suspect). The victim said that Mila swung a baseball bat at him and demanded that he return his money or he would kill him.

Police officers responded to the call from Malaeimi and, upon arrival at the scene, met the victim. According to the victim, the suspect arrived at his residence early in the morning and woke him up. After he washed his face and entered the living room, he was met by the suspect, who demanded money aggressively.

The victim stated that he was confused by the accusation as he did not owe the suspect any money. He then chased the suspect out of his house.

The victim further reported that he went to his neighbor’s house to pick up his check, and the suspect followed him, continuing to demand money. Mila then swung a baseball bat at him and threatened to kill him.

The victim informed Mila that he was calling the authorities, and that’s when the suspect fled the scene. After speaking with the victim, the officers tried to locate the suspect, canvassing the perimeter area, but were unsuccessful.

Later that same day, the victim contacted the police again and stated that the suspect had been seen at the market near the Ace Hardware store in Malaeimi. The victim also feared that the suspect would threaten him again.

The officers proceeded to Malaeimi and observed the suspect pushing a wheelbarrow. He was apprehended and transported to the TPS for questioning.

Upon arrival at the station, the suspect was Mirandized, which he understood and agreed to provide a statement.

The suspect claimed that he went to the victim’s residence and woke him up. After the victim washed his face, Mila went to the kitchen to get water and left his money where he had been sitting. He alleged that when he returned, his money was gone. He confronted the victim, who denied taking his money. Mila said he left the victim’s house. The suspect admitted to having a baseball bat but denied threatening the victim or making any harmful statements.

Due to the breach of peace and concerns for future disturbances, Mila was booked and transported to the Tafuna Correctional Facility to await the next available sitting of the District Court.

The affidavit also revealed that during the attempts to locate the suspect, several village residents complained about the suspect’s ongoing disruptive behavior within the community.

[Editor’s Note: An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath or affirmation for use as evidence in court. It is not a court decision. Under local law, defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by the court. ra]