A decision to not charge Samoa's police commissioner and the captain of the local police patrol boat over the smuggling of firearms from American Samoa has drawn public criticism.
Samoa's Police Commissioner, Papalii Lorenese Neru, and the captain of the police boat MV Nafanua, Logoitino Filipo, will not face a criminal investigation over the incident following a Cabinet decision over the weekend.
The commission had recommended that the Attorney General oversee a criminal investigation into the two senior police staff.
Our correspondent in Samoa, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, says people expected the two to face some charges.
"Most people I spoke to they are very, very shocked of the decision by Cabinet based on the recommendation by the Commission of Inquiry, but I ask the question to the prime minister, after announcing the decision why Cabinet did not decide on the recommendations, well he said, well the commission of inquiry was given terms of reference to base their investigation on, and he also said the cabinet review is holistic."
The Cabinet decision sees Logoitino Filipo demoted, and the police commissioner has been severely censured and ordered to prepare a proper registration procedure of weapons before keeping them in the police armoury.
