Tusiata Etuale Mauga has expressed her disappointment with the Ministry of Police and Prisons in how they “affiliated” her with another woman who allegedly stole from the Treasurer.
Tusiata’s photo along with the suspect was published on the Samoa Police and Corrections Services Facebook page which Radio Polynesia carried in a story.
Her photo had since been removed from our original story.
Commissioner of Police, Auapa’au Logotino Filipo told Radio Polynesia the women were suspects in a “theft case” which was being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division.
However today the Police Commissioner said the post had since been removed on the police page and the woman who allegedly stole jewelry had since been charged.
Also, the jewelry was returned to Treasurer box. The Commissioner also confirmed that Tusiata will be their main witness in this criminal case.
Tusiata told Radio Polynesia she met the other woman at the market, and she asked for bus fare, and gave her money and bought her food.
“And then I asked her to accompany me to the Treasurer Box. We went to the jewelry shop and I inquired with the shopkeeper about broken chains that’s why I went to the jewelry shop.
“But I was not aware the woman that I came with had bad intentions and I never knew that something happened until I saw a post circulating on social media, with my photo.
“Therefore I must apologise to my family and friends for what happened. This is such an embarrassment given my photo was circulating on social media, when I am not someone that would do something like this,” said the Tusiata.
