Toa Samoa viral trolley supporter is in police custody and awaiting sentence

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 24 DECEMBER 2022: The 17 year old boy who was caught in a Toa Samoa supporters rally video pushing his cousin in a shopping trolley holding the Samoan flag with their pet dog running on the side, is still in police custody. This is despite social media reports two days ago that he has been sentenced to 2 months in prison.

The Court and police have confirmed that Suliveta Slade has been remanded under police custody to await his next appearance in Court for sentencing.

Suliveta is facing 6 charges of theft and burglary and Court documents show Suliveta appeared in Court this week but police are yet to finalize their charges so the matter has been rescheduled to next year.

He first appeared at the Youth Court last month and he was released to his mother under strict conditions. However, he breached his bail conditions again.

Not complying with his bail conditions, District Court Judge, Loau Donald Kerslake had him placed under police custody to await his next appearance in Court.

The trolley run & the arrest
Suliveta made headlines when his shopping trolley run caught so many viewers’ imaginations and hearts. But that very popular appearance also attracted police attention who had been looking for him for some time on outstanding arrest warrants.

So his arrest by police in a public park in downtown Apia and in the middle of the public hype for Toa Samoa, quickly drew local and international condemnation against the police and with much sympathy for the 17 year old.

“Suliveta has outstanding warrants of arrest,” Leiataua Afamasaga Samuelu, the Acting Police Commissioner clarified.

“So when his video clip went viral on social media as the trolley boy, police executed those warrants quickly before he slipped off again,” said Leiataua.

He emphasized that Suliveta was not arrested for pushing a shopping trolley on a busy downtown street but on the outstanding warrants of arrest.

Meanwhile, Suliveta will spend Christmas and New Years celebrations in police custody as his case will not come up until the Court resumes its normal work in February 2023.