There has been angry reaction in American Samoa to the light sentences handed out by the Hawaii Federal District Court to former Chief Procurement Officer Faau Seumanutafa and former Manager of the School Lunch Programme Toetu Solaita.
Seumanutafa was sentenced to eight months in jail but Solaita escaped prison and was sentenced to five years probation.
A government employee described the sentence as a slap on the wrist, and claimed the punishment was sending out the message, that it paid to steal government funds.
One woman said the sentences wouldn't deter people from abusing their positions and misusing public money.
