Police chief to return to work

SAMOA – Samoa’s Prime Minister, Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, says the nation’s suspended Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, will resume his duties on Tuesday.

Tuilaepa, who is also the Minister of Police, announced the reinstatement in his weekly radio interview on Thursday.

This comes after parliament on Tuesday urgently debated and passed an amendment to the Police Powers Act, giving the Minister of Police the powers on the advise of the Attorney General, to arm officers during police operations.

Keil was suspended in August last year, after the National Prosecution Office filed four criminal charges against him as a result of an Ombudsman inquiry into the alleged unlawful use of weapons, as well as the unlawful arrest of a man at Fugalei market.

He was then reinstated in November last year after the charges were dismissed, but he was arrested on the day he returned to work after more than 200 other charges were filed against him by police following a separate investigation.

Last month the Supreme Court dismissed the more than 200 charges against Keil due to insufficient evidence. - RNZI