Nurse faces two charges

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 10 August 2018, 12:00AM

Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, has confirmed charges being laid against a nurse implicated in the deaths of two toddlers at Safotu hospital last month. 

Her identity has not been revealed by the Police.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer when giving an update on the Police investigations yesterday, he said the Police have charged the nurse with alleged negligence resulting in death and perverting the course of justice.

“I believe there’s two charges count on that one is negligence causing death and the other one is perverting the course of justice,” he said.

“It’s very unfortunate that it has resulted to this or what had happened to the two toddlers.

“However, because it is now in the hands of the law enforcement we have done our own investigation and all the element of the crime has been satisfied and those charges were the ones that stood out.”

The Commissioner said police investigators had to go to the scene of the incident, which subsequently led to the arrest of the individual and her being taken into custody.

“We had to go to Savaii and then we have to return to where the incident occurred and subsequently that individual has been arrested and charged and is now in custody on those two charges.”

When he was asked which fatality was the nurse responsible for, Fuiavailili refused to comment saying the investigations are continuing. He did not want to give more details. 

“I can’t really comment on that because it’s a pending case so I can’t really go into details other than one of the nurses is being charged and that charge has been laid. However, most likely there will be additional charges as investigations are still ongoing.”

Attorney General, Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff said the nurse will appear in Court next week Tuesday. 

“This is the latest development with the on-going Police investigation into the deaths of two infants in Savai’i in July. It can be confirmed that one of the nurses involved with the vaccination injections of the two babies who passed away 6th July 2018, was charged by police on Saturday 4th August 2018,” the statement stated. 

“She is set to appear in Court 14th August 2018, where the charges will be confirmed publically. 

Lemalu said “the file was referred to this office for advice last week, after swift and hard-working investigations by the CID section of the Ministry of Police both in Apia and Savaii, which is to be commended. And the decision to charge was thereafter supported by advice and it is also confirmed by Police that investigations are still active and ongoing.”

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 10 August 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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