2 May 2012

American Samoa rugby players plead guilty to assaulting referee

6:37 am on 2 May 2012

In American Samoa, two of the four men from the Nu'uuli Rugby team charged in connection with the assault of a Samoa based referee have entered into a plea agreement with the government.

Samoa News reports Iopu Siolo and Pelenato Puautolu entered guilty pleas yesterday in High Court, while cases for co-defendants Fuata'i Tago and Pene Wells were postponed to later this month.

Siolo and Puautolu admitted that they each kicked referee Ponifasio Vasa last year during a rugby game which fractured the referee's nose and caused a concussion.

Sentencing is set for June 22 and the defendants remain in custody unable to post bail.