A number of defendants awaiting the hearing of charges against them had the opportunity to spend Christmas at home with their families.
This followed a decision by Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiava’asu’e Falefatu Sapolu, to grant them bail to address the issue of overcrowding at the Tafa’igata Prison.
<!-- ads-articles(24.03.14) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-9419815128221199"
data-ad-slot="2395638412"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}
Although the number of accused men and women granted bail could not be confirmed, most of them had already entered guilty pleas to the charges against them.
During the proceedings on Monday, His Honour Patu informed prosecutor Rexona Titi that Tafa’igata Prison was “overcrowded”.
The situation was apparently not only caused by overcrowding of prisoners being sent there but a number of accused persons held there to await their hearings.
This, the Chief Justice pointed out, was already putting a strain on the “supply of food available” to prisoners.
One of the defendants previously held in custody, who was granted bail, is former prisoner, Siliva Suitupe.
Suitupe pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of narcotics, namely two marijuana cigarettes.
Suitupe was previously convicted in 2011 for the same charge of possession of illegal drugs.
<!-- samoaobs-article(336x280)-created 040314 -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-2469982834957525"
data-ad-slot="6399418022"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}