28 Apr 2008

Samoa government steps in to stop school violence in town

5:25 am on 28 April 2008

Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, has called a special meeting of school leaders this week after a huge brawl over the weekend left a police officer and several students injured.

A female student is in the high dependency unit at the Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole hospital suffering severe burns to her face and chest after she was set on fire by a petrol bomb.

The fight also caused damage to some businesses in Apia with windows broken by students throwing rocks at each other.

A police source says 20 students are in custody for investigation along with two teachers.

The fight is said to have broken out following the weekly college and high school rugby tournament.