A former village mayor of Fagatogo in American Samoa, and retired police officer, So'osemea Tinae, has been senctenced to five years in prison for sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl.
The 72-year-old father of 13 appealed to the judges for forgiveness, saying he did not pre-meditate his actions which have brought disgrace to his village, his family, and himself.
He expressed his remorse and begged the judges to show mercy in their sentence.
However, the Deputy Attorney General, Mitzie Jessop Ta'ase, says the only thing the defendant is sorry about is the fact that he was finally caught in an act she believed he was engaged in for a long time.
She says she believes there were many other victims, aside from the 15-year-old in this case.
The court sentenced Tinae to five years imprisonment and ordered that he register in the Sex Offender Registry and be tested for HIV AIDS.
Pago Pago, American Samoa. Photo: AFP
