Police have appealed to the driver of the vehicle that killed an 18-year-old university student at Vaitele close to a week ago to step forward.

Tuuau Faasavalu or Ituau, as he is known to his friends and family, was found lying on the side of the road at the Vaitele Maali Street in the early hours of Wednesday 21 April and declared dead on arrival at the Tupua Tamasese National Hospital at Motootua.

On Monday the Ministry of Police, Prisons and Correction Services took to social media to request more information from the public as well as urge the driver of the vehicle alleged to be involved in the hit-and-run accident to step forward. 

“The Samoa Police, Prisons & Correction Services requests for information from the general public in relation to a hit-and-run traffic accident in the early hours of Wednesday 21 April 2021 at Vaitele, Maali Street,” reads a post by the Police on the Ministry’s official Facebook page.

“Ituau or Tuau as he is known to his friends and family died from severe injuries. He would have celebrated his 19 birthday on Saturday 24 April 2021.

“We appeal to the driver to come forward or members of the public on any information that may lead to the discovery of the driver or vehicle to please contact our Traffic Unit on telephone 26712.”

Last week the Deputy Police Commissioner, Papalii Monalisa Tiai-Keti, indicated in an email response to the Samoa Observer that the Police didn’t have any leads on the identity of the driver as well as the vehicle allegedly behind the accident. 

“As of now, no other information regards the owner of the vehicle that hit the teenager who has died, an eyewitness at the scene state that they informed the Faleata Police Station as they found the young man lying on the road,” said Papalii.

“The Ministry has urged the public, to those who have information regards on the accidents to step up in helping out finding the vehicle as was seen around 1am in the morning at Vaitele Maali Street.”

The deceased is from the villages of Fasitoo-uta, Letogo and Vaitele who was also a student at the National University of Samoa.