Report wrong, C.E.O confirms charges

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

Contrary to media reports the Police Commissioner is facing more than 200 new charges, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration Papali’i John Taimalelagi, has set the record straight.

Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, Papali’i said there are only 22 charges filed against the suspended Fuiavaililii Egon Keil.

 “Only 22 charges have been filed against Fuiavailili and those are the only charges that will be presented before the court on Monday,” Papali’i said. 

“I don’t know where these 259 charges came from but according to our records there are only 22.” 

Papali’i also confirmed the charges against Fuiava include counseling and procuring to murder, possession of unlawful firearms, being armed with dangerous weapons, insulting words and threatening words.

“All the charges are filed through our Ministry and they are the final charges to be presented in Court,” he said. 

“So I don’t know where those charges come from. There’s no other place I can think of.” 

The charges stemmed from an alleged incident during one of the Police drug raids at Faletiu in 2015. 

Other charges in relation to firearms are some of the illegal weapons collected from the Firearm Amnesty last year and was kept under the authority of the Commissioner by the Tactical Operation Squad. 

The first charges against Fuiavailili were withdrawn and dismissed in the Supreme Court on the 11th November 2016 when an overseas prosecutor Paul Dacre QC told the Court there is insufficient evidence to prove them.

After the charges were dropped, Cabinet decided to reinstate him right away.

However, Fuiavailili turned up for work on the 14th November 2016 only to find out there are new charges against him. He was arrested and locked in a Police cell.

He is due in Court tomorrow.

By Pai Mulitalo Ale 27 November 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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