Police v CS [2025] WSSC 23 (21 February 2025)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF SAMOA
Police v CS [2025] WSSC 23 (21 February 2025)

Case name:	Police v CS
Citation:	[2025] WSSC 23
Decision date:	21 February 2025
Parties:	POLICE (Informant) v CS (Defendant)
Hearing date(s):
File number(s):
Jurisdiction:	Supreme Court – CRIMINAL
Place of delivery:	Supreme Court of Samoa, Mulinuu
Judge(s):	Senior Justice Nelson
On appeal from:
Order:
Representation:	H. Apisaloma for Prosecution T. Patea for the Defendant
Catchwords:	Sexual connection with a minor – occurred multiple times – victim fell pregnant – now in a relationship – non-custodial sentence – fined.
Words and phrases:	“victim under 16 years of age”
Legislation cited:
Cases cited:	Police v Apelu [2015] WSSC 258; Police v Lunai [2015] WSSC 176.
Summary of decision:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF SAMOA
HELD AT MULINUU

BETWEEN:

P O L I C E

Informant

A N D:

CS

Defendant

Counsel: H. Apisaloma for Prosecution
T. Patea for the Defendant

Sentence: 21 February 2025

S E N T E N C E

1. In this case the defendant appears for sentence on charges of sexual connection with a female under 16 years of age. This happened on more than one occasion culminating in the defendant being charged with five (5) counts of sexual connection to which he has pleaded guilty. As a result of the offending, the young girl in question fell pregnant and she tells me her baby is now 9 months old. Given the circumstances of this matter there will issue a permanent suppression order prohibiting publication of her name as she is under 16, and for her further protection also the name of the defendant or any details that may identify them.
2. For your information CS the law says you can be sent today to prison for up to 10 years for each of the offending. Prosecution in their submission are seeking a prison term of at least 3 years. Pointing out the obvious fact that the young girl was only 13 years old when these offences occurred and she became pregnant to you, a man 10 years older than her.
3. Imprisonment is the normal penalty because as stated by Aitken, J in Police v Apelu [2015] WSSC 258 a case similar to yours:
   • “Despite her consenting to sexual intercourse, it was an offence for you to have intercourse with her and that is because the law protects young girls like her from themselves (in effect). That is, in part, because of their lack of maturity and therefore the likelihood that they will not really appreciate what it is that they are consenting to, and because the law is there to protect young girls in this way, the Court has always said that deterrence is the primary purpose of sentencing someone for offending in this regard.”
4. However as noted by my sister Tuatagaloa, J in Police v Lunai [2015] WSSC 176 a case where there was almost a 10 year gap between perpetrator and victim:
   • “The Court should determine each case based on its own facts. This approach is reflected in the sentences imposed by this Court on section 59 where the range of sentences imposed vary from supervision and community service to imprisonment term.
   • Deterrence and denunciation of such behaviour does not have to be by way of custodial sentence. A longer non-custodial sentence can also deter and denounce such behaviour.”
5. I note as has been stated by your counsel you are a first offender, you have a good pre-sentence report of background of service for your aiga and your community. I note you have pleaded guilty to these charges and that is in your favour as well for it has avoided an unnecessary trial. I further note there has been full reconciliation of the matter and that both your family and the victims family are very supportive of you and her and your young daughter.
6. Usually these factors do not mean an offender is spared a prison term because of the seriousness of the offending. However having given this case careful consideration, I note there are special circumstances present. Firstly you and the victim have a 9 month old baby being looked after by the victim. Secondly you are in a relationship now according to all the materials before the court and as indicated with the permission and support of your respective families. Thirdly you live with your family during the week but you visit her and her family in the weekend. And that you have accepted responsibility for the baby and provide for both the complainant and the child. Further details of the nature of the current situation is contained in the Supplementary Report of the Probation Office.
7. O lea o le a fa’asamoa atu le fa’aiuga o lau mataupu ona ou te mana’o ia e malamalama lelei i le fa’aiuga. E le faigofie lau mataupu ona o tulaga ia pei ona saunoa atu iai le Fa'amasinoga. Tulaga o le laititi o tausaga o le teineiitiiti ma le tiute o le fa'amasinoga e taumafai e puipui teineiti laiti mai i ituaiga mea faapea. Ae ona o isi vaega lea pei ona ta’ua aemaise le talosaga lea na aumai tauala mai le Ofisa Faanofo Va'ava'aia, o lea o le a fa’asao oe mai le falepuipui mo le mataupu lea. Ae fa’alogo lelei mai i isi vaega ia o le fa’aiuga e tatau ona e usita’i lelei iai.
8. O le a fa’apafala le fa’aiuga a le fa’amasinoga mo le tausaga e tasi. E amata le tausaga lena e tasi mai le aso 15 o Mati i le tausaga nei. E amata mai le taimi lena o lea o le a tu’u atu oe i lalo o le Ofisa Faanofo Va'ava'aia. A iai ni fa’atonuga e tu’u atu ia oe i lou saini ma mea fa’apena usita’i iai. Le tamaita’i ofisa lea e alala mai e fai se lua tala ae te lei tu’ua le potu fa'amasino.
9. O tu’utu’uga fa’apitoa o lou fa’anofo va’ava’aia e mafai ona e asiasi i lou afafine ma le tamaita’i lea na a’afia i le mataupu lenei i le latou aiga i Eva ae sa ona e moe ai. O le mafua’aga laga o lae laititi lava tausaga o le teineitiiti. O le solitulafono le lua faia o nisi feusuaiga a’o laititi tausaga o le teineitiiti. E le mafai la ona talia e le fa'amasinoga le tulaga lena ona o tulaga na. A 16 loa tausaga o le teineitiiti pule oulua e leai seisi e toe aia atu i lena tulaga. Ae mo le taimi lenei o lea e lei atoa le 16 o le teineitiiti. O le la e fua atu le taimi o lou fa’anofo va’ava’aia ma tulaga fa’apitoa ia i le aso fanau o le teineitiiti e amata atu i le tausaga nei fa’atoa mae’a i le aso 15 Mati i le tausaga fou, o le aso foi lena e atoa ai le 16 o tausaga o le teineitiiti. Pei ona ou fai atu e mafai ona e asiasi ae leai nisi tulaga e mafai ona toe aafia ai oulua. Afai e te alofa moni i le teineitiiti e leai se faigata o lena mea, o lea e umi le soifuaga i le olaga e fai ai nisi tulaga.
10. O leisi tulaga fa’apitoa e tatau ona e totogiina tau o le mataupu lenei, ona ua tele le vevesi ona o lou solitulafono. E $100 le tau o le Ofisa o Leoleo, $200 le tau o le Ofisa Faanofo Va'ava'aia, $200 le tau o le Ofisa o Fa’amasinoga. E $500 le aofai o le tupe e tatau ona e totogiina. O lea o le a tu’u atu le vaiaso e totogi ai le tupe lea. E tatau ona oo atu i le Aso Faraile o le vaiaso lea i le ta o le 12:00 ua mae’a mai lau $500 lea i totonu o le ofisa o Fa’amasinoga. A iai se fa’aletonu i le totogiina o le tupe lena pe te le usita’i foi i tu’utu’uga lea ua fai atu i le lua va ma le teineitiiti lea i le taimi lenei. E toe aumai oe i luma o le fa'amasinoga e le Ofisa o Leoleo. E toe aumai loa oe i le mataupu lenei po o nisi mataupu, ese loa le fa’aiuga e tatau ona fa’ata’atia atu i lau susuga.
11. For the record counsel that is an order to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon, effective from 15 March 2025. And the special conditions are he can visit the victim and his daughter but no overnight stays and no other repetition of this kind of behaviour. And as you heard me make clear to him if he breaks that condition then he is going to face something completely different if he is brought back before the court. You have heard the cost order that have been made totals $500 - $100 for Police, $200 for Probation, $200 for court costs to be paid within 7 days that is by 12 noon next Friday 28 February 2025, in default then he will be brought back and you do not want your client to be brought back before the court because he will then be going down a very different path.
    

SENIOR JUSTICE NELSON