Police officer charged with forgery

A female Police Constable has been sacked and charged after a criminal investigation concluded that she allegedly forged a signature on a Police report. 

The Police Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, confirmed that the services of the Police Officer were terminated on Friday last week. 

Fuiavailiili alleged the officer also accepted money as payment for the Police report. 

“I don’t put up with that nonsense,” he said in an interview with the Samoa Observer. 

“It’s very unfortunate I had to charge one of our female officers on Friday last week. 

“The end of investigation confirmed the probable cause to charge her for forging a signature and accepting money for payment.”

He could not confirm how many charges the officer is facing. 

He added that the woman is a tenured officer.

“She is a Constable and she has been there for some time,” he said. 

Asked how much money the cop is alleged to have accepted for payment, the Commissioner said it wasn’t much. 

“It’s not even worth your job; any amount is not worth your job,” Fuiavailiili said.

In expressing his disappointment over the alleged offending, Fuiavailiili compared the situation to a punch in the gut.

He pointed out the ministry has been working towards upholding its image to gain the trust of the Government and the people.

“It’s not a reflection of the whole organisation but it sends out the wrong message to the rest of the group,” he said. 

“She made that decision herself; she’s going to deal with it, [it’s] not [a] reflection of other fine high working women, [this] decision made by this particular person.  

“She made that decision herself and she is going to deal with it…” 

A separate matter of a Police Officer allegedly accepting a $50 tala bribe last year is currently before the courts.