Pacific / Samoa

Samoa PM wants bail review for repeat offenders

22:53 pm on 12 August 2020

Samoa's Prime Minister has indicated he will ask a Judicial Committee to look into incidences of charged people being released on bail.

Assorted firearms seized by police in Samoa Photo: Samoa Police

Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi spoke about the matter on national television after he learned about a man arrested during a recent police raid which garnered illegal firearms, drugs and ammunition.

Police said the man had been charged three times before on the same charges but had been released on bail.

Tuila'epa says it appears judges are living on a different planet and are completely ignorant of the reality the police are working with.

The man is due to appear in court on 28 August.

Meanwhile the village council of Fale'ula village, where the raid was carried out, met on Tuesday to discuss the incident.