A 30-year-old man has been charged with expressing displeasure over the behavior a man displayed toward his ancestors when he was younger | American Samoa

Pago Pago – American Samoa

On the evening of June 21, 2024, a woman called the Fagatogo Police Station to report that Mr. Olo Setu Muliau was accused of assaulting her (female) brother.

Muliau is currently charged with one count of third degree assault, a Class “A” misdemeanor, which could result in a maximum sentence of one (1) year in prison or a $1,000 fine, or both.

The defendant will be released on $1,000 bail pending trial.

When police arrived at Utusia village, they met the woman who had called the police station and explained what had happened and attached photos of her brother’s injuries. The victim’s injuries are believed to include injuries to his back, arms, knees and swelling of his left eye.

The victim explained that while he was walking in front of his home, he saw the defendant drinking beer in the back of a pickup truck, and the defendant stated to the victim that he had hit the victim hard, and that the defendant subsequently punched and kicked the victim in the buttocks and eyes.

The victim said his vision went black and he fell down, at which point the accused continued the ritual, hitting him on the head and body before his sister came and pushed him away.

The police arrived at the defendant’s home and saw him drinking beer, and when the police locked his arms, the police smelled beer on his stomach and internal organs.

The accused was taken to the Fagatogo Police Station while the victim was taken to hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Doctors treating the injured told government officials that weapons were likely used, but the injured man said he did not remember.

But during the police interrogation of the accused, he explained that he was drinking beer in the back seat of the car and watched the victim walk out, and stated that the accused was unhappy with the way the victim spoke to his (Muliau) ancestors, lack of disclosure, when he (the victim) was young.

That’s why he grabbed a beer can and punched the victim in the eye. When the victim fell, Mullio threw the beer can at his head, hitting him in the head and body.