Tribunal recommends to terminate two Police Officers

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, SAMOA – 24 May 2024– The panel of three that conducted the disciplinary tribunal hearing of two suspended police officers, Inspector Li’o Fa’ataumalama Auava and Constable Henifa Bryce have recommended to terminate the two from the service.

“The Tribunal recommends that both officers be dismissed from the service pursuant to section 51B(1) (f) of the Police Service Act 2009.”

The recommendation is now before one of the Police Deputy Commissioners for a final decision.

Li’o and Bryce faced seven charges combined which included conducting a separate unauthorised investigation of a case already allocated to an investigation team.

The Tribunal’s findings suggest that Li’o being one of the senior officers in the service is well aware that any information relating to an open and active investigation should be passed to the investigation team.

According to the Tribunal Panel, what the officers did should never have happened.

“Obtaining information and passing it on to the investigation team is one thing, but to carry out a separate investigation from the current ongoing investigation shows a clear disregard of the police processes and guidelines that are in place.”

The Panel believes that all evidence provided during the hearing were “considered on a balance of probabilities” which includes the seriousness of the charges by breaching the provisions of the Police Service Act 2009 and Police Service Regulations 2010.

They found Li’o guilty of three charges and Bryce on one charge.

“The actions of these two sworn members should not be accepted within the service, we therefore recommend as a penalty that both officers be dismissed from the service.”

The final decision on the recommendation will be delivered next Friday, 31 May 2024.