The report recommended that the police chief and the boat captain, Chief Inspector Logoitino Filipo, be investigated for their role in the smuggling of arms across the two islands.
“This was a dereliction of duty by a police commissioner of Samoa,” said the inquiry team, who handed its report to government in December last year.
The high level Commission of Inquiry was headed by Ombudsman Maiava Iulai Toma.
The guns were smuggled from American Samoa when the MV Nafanua returned to Apia after last year’s Flag Day celebrations.
According to the Inquiry’s findings, the guns were then held by the commissioner at his home and did nothing about it for 26 days.
“The fact that he did not act nor did he have any intention of acting to properly address the situation as would be befitting a commissioner of police of Samoa,” the report stated. “In his inaction the commissioner was derelict if not corrupt in the performance of his duties. Considering all matters covered in this report we are of the view that both Commissioner Neru and Chief Inspector Logoitino Filipo have shown themselves by their conduct, undeserving of the high honor of serving in the Samoa Police Force or of the trust that members of the public naturally place on officers of the police.”
The reported added, “On the contrary, they set a bad example for others in the police and for all in positions of leadership and responsibility in the service of Samoa. We commend this conclusion and sentiments to the cabinet and whichever other authorities are competent to consider these matters. We recommend referring this matter and the actions of Captain Filipo during the Inquiry mentioned in this report, for criminal investigation. For obvious reasons the Office of the Attorney General should oversee such investigations.”
