30 Oct 2013

Samoan police under investigation after reporting Deputy PM

9:08 pm on 30 October 2013

The Samoan police have confirmed the police officers who filed a damning report about the Deputy Prime Minister and another Associate Minister are now the subject of a police investigation.

The Police media officer, Assistant Commissioner Fauono Tala Tapu, says the five officers are under an internal investigation by the Police Professional Standard Unit over an incident earlier this month.

The officers filed a report, accusing Fonotoe Lauofo Pierre of instructing Associate Minister Muagututagata Peter Ah Him to drive away from police as they were trying to obtain a breath test from him.

The police had asked him to undertake the test after he reportedly did an illegal manoevre and police suspected he was driving under the influence of alcohol.

The Assistant Commissioner Fauono Tala Tapu says the probe is part of normal police procedure and charges may still be laid against the ministers.

He told media two weeks ago that the ministers should have been charged.