Samoa's suspended police chief to answer raft of charges

06:04 am on 24 November 2016

Samoa's suspended Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, is facing a total of 259 criminal charges.

Earlier this month separate charges against Fuiavailili, which had also led to him being suspended, were dropped, with the prosecution saying it had insufficient evidence.

He was suspended again just days later amid reports he was facing a range of criminal charges.

Now Fuiavailili has been charged with 120 offences of the illegal possession of firearms, eight counts of intimidation, six of threatening words, two of insulting words, and one each of attempt to procure murder, incite murder, and counsel murder.

He is due in court on Monday to answer the charges.

Our correspondent in Samoa, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, has been following the story and told Don Wiseman about it.

Listen

Samoa's Police Commissioner Egon Keil Photo: RNZI / Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia