Police seeks to ban a Court Registrar from remanding criminal suspects

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 24 FEBRUARY 2022: The police are seeking the assistance of the Attorney General to ban a Court Deputy Registrar, Victory Lesa from attending to any more communication or remanding of criminal suspects.

Police is alleging the officer tampering with police suspects namely Rodney Crichton who is wanted by police for drug related charges.

In a letter dated 10 February 2022 to the Attorney General, Acting Police Commissioner at the time, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo said Victory listed Rodney Crichton’s name for a bail hearing on 22 December 2021 without informing Prosecution.

In the absence of a judge and a lawyer representing the prosecution, Victory went ahead and conducted the bail proceedings for Crichton in the presence of police Inspector Albert Matautia.

One of the bail conditions was for Crichton to sign at the police station every Monday and Friday, but since the day he was bailed, police could not track him down.

“This is not the first time Mr. Lesa has had issues with our office and as a result, an arrangement was made with MJCA prohibiting Lesa from conducting any remanding procedures for police suspects and in particular drug related crimes,” said Auapaau.

In a previous incident, Victory Lesa was accused and charged in relation to a missing gun which was evidence in one of the court cases.

He was acquitted of the charge but the gun later resurfaced in the illegal weapons police seized from one of their raids.

According to Auapaau, it was unfortunate that Lesa had again played a part in the justice system and had bailed a police suspect who had 2 outstanding warrants of arrest and a criminal matter pending at the time.

Police have been prompted by the seriousness of these issues to seek the Attorney General’s assistance to find a remedy to ban the officer’s further involvement in communications pertaining to police criminal matters especially the remanding and bail procedures for drug suspects.

Police is also requesting for an investigation into police exhibit evidence that have gone missing from the Court.

On 24 December 2021, the Attorney General instructed police to arrest Rodney Crichton and he is currently in police custody awaiting appearance in Court.