19 Sep 2008

American Samoa court to consider special prosecutor for Attorney General's staff

1:52 pm on 19 September 2008

The American Samoa High Court will hear a motion by the government to have a special prosecutor appointed to prosecute four employees of the Attorney general's Office facing theft and embezzlement charges.

The four employees are accused of misappropriating 400 thousand US dollars in fees for immigration documents and services.

District Court Judge John Ward has ruled that while the law states that employees of the Attorney General's Offce must be prosecuted by an independent counsel, such a step needs the approval of the Secretary of the Interior.