A 58-year-old farmer, accused of double murder, was apprehended on Tuesday following an extensive manhunt in Samoa. The suspect is charged with the fatal shooting of two men, one of whom was a lead homicide detective.
The Samoan police confirmed the arrest took place in Fasito’o, located on the northwest coast of Upolu. The capture was the result of efforts by a dedicated 20-member team comprised of detectives and tactical unit police.
Detective Sergeant Peniamina Perite was in the process of investigating a violent family dispute and attempting to arrest the suspect when he was shot with a .22 rifle. As previously reported by RNZ Pacific, Deputy Police Commissioner Papalii Monalisa said that such incidents are extremely rare in Samoa, leading to shock and outrage within the community.
“We have not had a case like this since 1996, so it was very unexpected and unfortunate that it arose out of a domestic incident,” Monalisa said.
She described Perite as a dedicated and exemplary officer who tragically died at the scene. He and other unarmed officers were attempting to apprehend the suspect at the time of the shooting.
The investigation was initially prompted by a domestic-related shooting the previous night, where the suspect allegedly shot his ex-wife’s new husband. The victim, a 62-year-old man from Nofoali’i, also sustained injuries from a machete. Monalisa noted that a post-mortem examination would be necessary to determine whether the fatal injuries were from the gunshot wounds or the machete attack.
The incident has been a challenging and painful time for the Samoan police, with support and counselling being provided to the officers who were with Perite during the incident.
