All charges against Samoa's suspended Police Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil have been withdrawn for insufficient evidence.
Samoa Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, with family and supporters. Photo: Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
The decision was made by the Prosecutor hired by the Attorney General.
Commissioner Keil was charged with one count each of wrongful arrest of a man at Fugalei market last year during an armed police raid, perjury, disorderly conduct, and providing false statement to the Ombudsman in a commission of inquiry which investigated a complaint on how the police had carried out the raid in a public place.
The Commissioner said he is happy the case is over and looking forward to return to work.
"I tell you I don't hold a grudge, I just want to get back in there and do what I've been doing within the confines of the law in doing something that will make us all proud of the Samoan police."
"Not my rules, not my laws, I'm just implementing what should have been done a long time ago, and there's a few, not the whole organisation, are resistant to that change and I'm holding them accountable to what they're supposed to do in the first place. So here I am implementing those things and it's a blowback," he said.
The police commissioner said if there are members of the police force who work under fear because of his style of policing and administration, they should look for another job or career.
New Zealand prosecutor Paul Dacre (left) and assistant prosecutor Leone Mailo (right). Photo: Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia