HORROR AS MAN ATTACKED, CAR SET ON FIRE

By Pai Mulitalo Ale 27 March 2016, 12:00AM

Lawlessness and anarchy descended upon Salelologa in Savai’i momentarily on Thursday night as the country was preparing to commemorate Good Friday.

It happened when a man from Salelavalu was beaten and stoned and had his vehicle set on fire at the Salelologa Wharf. 

It was not possible to obtain an official comment from the Police yesterday, as the Ministry’s Media Spokespersons were not at work. But a Police officer in Savai’i who spoke to the Sunday Samoan on the condition of anonymity confirmed the incident. 

“It happened at around 12midnight after the nightclubs closed,” he said.

“The vehicle driven by a male from Salelavalu nearly crashed into a vehicle from Salelologa and that’s what started the dispute.”

The source said the Salelavalu vehicle was stopped in front of wharf, when it was leaving.

“That’s where young people stoned the vehicle and set it on fire,” he said. “It was quite scary and we are glad that no one else was involved.

“The driver ran for his life and was lucky to be rescued by the sailors of the Lady Samoa III.”

The Police officer praised the quick intervention of the matai of Salelologa.

 “It was good that matai from Salelologa responded quickly and assisted the Police that night,” he said.

Another source told the Sunday Samoan that one of the suspects is a prisoner who was released on the Easter weekend parole.

He said the prisoner is well known to the general public and he was surprised that he was granted weekend parole.

“These are the kind of prisoners that the prisons should be very careful with about releasing them to the public.”

For a member of the public who only wanted to be identified as Ioane, he said the sight of the burnt vehicle was scary.

“I didn’t think this could happen in Samoa,” he said. “It was something I’m used to seeing in the movies and those countries overseas. Now it’s happening in Samoa and it’s really scary.

“I was scared just watching how angry some of those young men were.”

The Sunday Samoan understands that the Police are investigating.

By Pai Mulitalo Ale 27 March 2016, 12:00AM
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