15 Jul 2015

Police sergeant in Samoa loses job over cannabis decision

6:40 am on 15 July 2015

A senior police sergeant in Samoa has lost his job after he was convicted and sentenced to five months in jail for official corruption.

Samoan police train to be new sergeants

Samoan police train to be new sergeants Photo: Tipi Autagavaia/RNZ

Two constables have been discharged without conviction after they pleaded guilty to charges of being an accessory after the fact and conspiracy to defeat the cause of justice.

The senior officer, Antonio Tausili, was the supervisor at Faleata police post in December 2013 when the two constables attended a call from a family at Vaitale who needed assistance over a family commotion.

The officers, Heta Wilson and Luisa Lototau, found two cannabis joints on one of the family members, but Tausili told Wilson not to take the narcotics back to the police post.

They were later flushed down the toilet by Lototau.

The Chief Justice said their actions had set a bad example and painted a bad public image of the police.