Police uses URL to identify the owner of the fake page in defamation case

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 04 MARCH 2023: The Police Digital Forensic Analyst, Timothy Perefoti Komiti has identified Perkins Feagiai Headle also known as Tuifa’asisina Perkin Tauvao as the same person behind the facebook fake page Salote Syrah Tautai.

Perkins is facing 25 defamation charges on comments she allegedly made on facebook against Prime Minister, several Cabinet Ministers and the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi – FAST party.

In giving evidence, Komiti guided the Court through videos he downloaded and photos and screenshots of comments from Salote’s face book account as instructed by police Inspector Paul Taua’a.

“I was asked to screen shot comments, videos and photos from 25 August 2022 to 8 September 2022 from Salote’s account,” said Timothy.

Prosecutor Leinafo Taimalelagi Strickland pointed out certain videos and comments especially when Salote updated her photo profiles and asked Timothy how he knew Salote and Perkins were the same persons.

Timothy pointed to three updates by Salote where the photo of Perkins appeared as the updated photo profile for Salote.

He also emphasized that photos, comments and videos can be changed, but not the Uniform Resource Locater (URL) where details of a person as owner a face book account are kept.

Uniform Resources Locater (URL) identification
Timothy was asked why he made a second video of screenshot and comments from Salote’s page on 14 October 2022.

He responded that the first video he made were from the face book page under the name Tuifaasisina Perkins Tauvao but as police continued to investigate the case, they realized that Perkins had changed her page from Tuifaasisina to Salote so they asked Timothy to look into it and made a second video.

Timothy also confirmed that on the URL, details of Salote are the same as that of Tuifaasisina.

From the two videos he made, the Court noted that the first was much longer than the second one and Timothy said it was because the first was done by using “auto control and the second was done “manually.”

Overall, Komiti’s testimony was central to linking Salote and Tuifaasisina as the one and same person.

Witness and the search warrant to face Book
During cross examination by defense counsel Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio, the witness was asked about the possibility of the URL domain being compromised.

Komiti said he was not sure, but did confirm that to disclose all details of a person, a search warrant from the Facebook administrator in America is needed to access everything.

Presiding Judge Alalatoa Rosela Papalii then asked him why he did not advise the investigative officer to put a request to Facebook to disclose information needed for the case.

The witness said that it was his fault and should have informed the officer about the warrant.

Judge Papalii said such information is vital to police investigation and yet Timothy failed to relay it to police.

Security of reservation of data
Judge Papalii also noted that Komiti had access to the evidence a day before he gave evidence.

“This is against the law and is a lapse on the side of police,” said Judge Papalii.

The judge also asked Timothy if he was aware if police confiscated Perkins mobile phone for investigation to which he said “no”.

Faimalomatumua also asked him if he was pressured to give evidence and he said “no”. Counsels will make their final submissions for the case on 26 May 2023.