Tuesday 26 October 2021, Apia Samoa. One of the three young men awaiting trial for the death of a man at Fasitoo-Uta during last years White Sunday weekend, has been taken back into police custody after he appeared again before the District Court this morning.
Junior Tolu pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, together with Siaki Pita and Peter Wulf. They are charged for allegedly beating to death a man in his 40’s after a drinking session on White Sunday weekend in October 2020.
At the time, Police Commissioner Su’a Fuiavailiili Egon Keil told SGN all three men in their early 20s, allegedly beat the 40 year old after a fight broke out. The incident occurred on Saturday night, early hours of White Sunday morning and according to Police, the deceased had died at the scene.
Su’a highlighted at the time, that locally made vodka was involved. “This time we identified two types of locally made vodka from preliminary investigations”, Su’a told Samoa Global News at the time.
All three denied the murder charges and through defense counsels, each entered not guilty pleas. They were then granted bail by the Supreme Court to await their trial date.
However, Junior Tolu appeared before Judge Alalatoa Rosella Papalii in the District Court on Tuesday morning, facing charges in relation to an alleged drunken incident involving himself and two other youth.
The District Court Registrar read out the charges, and Junior Tolu, together with Me Perenise and Niko Seni, all unrepresented in Court, pleaded guilty to uttering threatening words, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.
“O loo moliaina mo le tauai o atigifagu, e ono lamatia ai le saogalemu o le mamalu o le atunuu, ma le lafo o upu masoa poo upu mamafa”.
Judge Papalii set the 15th of November for sentencing and allowed Mr Perenise and Mr Seni to continue with bail conditions. However, Prosecution reminded the Court of Junior Tolu’s pending murder trial in the Supreme Court. He was then ordered by the Court to be returned to custody.
Outside Court, Junior Tolu’s parents were seen hugging their son, before he was taken into custody.
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