28 Oct 2019

Samoa principal charged with assaulting student

12:12 pm on 28 October 2019
Man putting up hands to hide face (almost obscured in background)

Photo: 123rf

The principal of Palalaua College in Samoa has been charged with assault over an incident involving a Year-13 student at the school.

It has been alleged that Leoloa Tuuu Mautofiga struck the student with a PVC-like pipe as a disciplinary measure for posting a photo on social media of him and a friend in school uniform.

Police Commissioner Fuiavaili'ili Egon Keil told the Samoa Observer that teachers needed to know the difference between reasonable force and assault.

He said in this case, police had evidence that it was not reasonable force, and the individual responsible had been charged.