11 Jul 2006

Samoa police concerned by rise in sex crimes

9:28 am on 11 July 2006

The ministry of police in Samoa has raised concerns over an increase in the number of sexual crimes.

Assistant police commissioner and spokesman, Papali'i Li'o says most of the victims of allege sexual offences reported to the police every week are under aged girls from 12 to 16 years old.

He says most of the cases have been reported by individual families.

Papalii says the ministry is undertaking awareness programmes throughout the country to help combat the growing number of crimes especially sexual offences.

Meanwhile a convicted rapist serving life in prison will not be released on weekend parole.

The police commissioner told the Samoa Observer newspaper that this was the finding of an investigation into the release from prison of the convicted rapist to visit his wife and children at weekends.