12 Sep 2016

Samoa's suspended police chief wants charges quashed

7:42 pm on 12 September 2016

Samoa's police chief Fuiavailili Egon Keil has been in court today seeking to quash criminal charges against him

Samoa police badge bearing the country's public seal which reads "Faavae i Le Atua Samoa" which translates to English as "God be the Foundation of Samoa"

Samoa police badge bearing the country's public seal which reads "Faavae i Le Atua Samoa" which translates to English as "God be the Foundation of Samoa" Photo: RNZI/ Koroi Hawkins

Mr Keil is facing four criminal charges but his lawyer, Komisi Koria, told the court his client would not enter a plea due to the poor state of the case file given to him by the prosecution.

He told the court the trial documents do not include any details of evidence to support the charges.

The defence lawyer also asked whether the prosecution office had a principal offender because his client is charged as the second offender.

The acting Director of Public Prosecution, Muriel Lui, told the court all these issues should be raised in the trial.

The judge agreed to the application from the defence but said that it needed to be filed in the correct way and should be done by Friday, with a hearing on whether the charges will be quashed scheduled for Wednesday next week.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs