Samoan police officers involved in extra-marital affairs are in the focus of Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi.
Speaking at a police graduation ceremony the Prime Minister said the Police Commissioner had yet to fully implement his decision last year to weed out at least one half of police ‘couples’ in the force.
He is giving Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil until the end of the year to act on a directive forcing couple to chose which of them would remain police officers.
Calling it a “lingering problem” Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi says family ties affect the police response to crime.
The rule is to also apply to those police officers who are having extra-marital affairs.
“Police officers knew of colleagues who were having affairs”, he said.
The relationship between Samoa’s police commissioner and the Prime Minister, who is also Minister of Police has been tense.
In July Samoa’s Police Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil, survived a government vote of confidence by ‘the inch of his finger’.
Fuiavailili’s three year tenure has been marred by controversy, including his arrest on dozens of charges of gun possession, intimidation and an attempt to procure, incite and counsel murder.
Fuiavailili, who is originally from the United States, was chosen ahead of three other applicants for a post.