A petition of no confidence against Samoa's suspended Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, has been presented to the government through the Minister of Police.
The petition, which was signed by senior police holding the rank of commission officers, raises concerns about the handling of several matters involving officers within the ministry of police by the police commissioner.
Samoa's Police Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil and Police Minister Sala Fata Pinati Photo: RNZI Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
It includes concerns over the registration of two unlawful firearms under the name of the ministry without the required authority of the minister.
A police source told our correspondent the petition was handed to the minister last week.
The Police Commissioner is facing four criminal charges, including unlawful detaining a person, disorderly conduct in a public place, perjury, and making a false statement in relation to the wrongful arrest of a member of the public last year.
The court will hear next Friday an application by the commissioner's defence lawyer to quash the charges.
A New Zealand-based lawyer has been hired by the Attorney General, Lemalu Herman Retzlaff, to prosecute the case.