14 Feb 2014

American Samoa students to pay damages of stoned school bus

9:36 am on 14 February 2014

Nineteen of the 21 high school students who played a role in the stoning of a school bus last year in American Samoa have been ordered to pay the costs of the repairs to the damage.

The bus was transporting Tafuna High School students after a volleyball game at Fagaitua when it was stoned with rocks in front of an automotive shop in Aua.

The students, from Aua, Utusia and Fagaitua High Schools, pleaded guilty to crimes that if they were adults would constitute unlawful assembly and public peace disturbance.

The stoning of the school bus last year resulted in the cancelation of school sports competitions, the changing of future sporting games, and a community meeting with school, government and traditional officials on ways to end violence in school sports.

As a condition of their 24 months probation, the students are to between them pay restitution to the Department Of Education to repair the damage caused to the bus, which is estimated at close to $7,000.

Two remaining students are due to to appear for sentencing later this month.