Sweatshop helper
pleads not guilty

The alleged violations occurred
at a factory in American Samoa

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By Debra Barayuga
dbarayuga@starbulletin.com

An assistant to an American Samoa garment factory owner accused of civil rights violations has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy.

Robert Atimalala was expected to be released pending trial after posting a $10,000 unsecured bond with the U.S. District Court.

The government did not object to his release.

Atimalala was indicted Aug. 30 along with Daewoosa Samoa Inc. owner Kil Soo Lee and assistant Virginia Soliai for conspiring to hold about 250 Vietnamese and Chinese workers in involuntary servitude between March 1999 and January 2001.

The 22-count indictment alleges force, threats, intimidation and deportation were used to force employees to work or punish them for disobedience.

Barry Edwards, court-appointed counsel for Atimalala, said Atimalala had withdrawn from the conspiracy by June 2000 and was not working at the factory in November 2000 when beatings occurred at the plant, seriously injuring two workers.

Soliai pleaded not guilty to the charges last Friday.

A detention hearing for Soliai was continued to Friday to allow her defense attorney to come up with a plan that would ensure she has no contact with two American Samoa family members who are expected to testify for the government.

The government requested Soliai be held pending trial because of her role in the alleged beatings and allegations that she obstructed justice by getting others to lie to law enforcement about the incidents.

Pamela Tamashiro, attorney for Soliai, questioned the government's good faith in pursuing her client despite testimony by a beating victim during a civil trial in American Samoa; the victim said Soliai had nothing to do with her assault.

Soliai also denies allegations that she influenced other Samoan workers at the plant to lie about what happened there, Tamashiro said.

Soliai wants to return to American Samoa pending trial to care for her ill mother.

U.S. Magistrate Leslie Kobayashi said she would not allow Soliai to return home to live with her mother if the two family members expected to testify for the government also reside under the same roof.

Lee is expected to be arraigned Friday on charges in last week's indictment.

Sialava'a Fagaima and Elekana Nu'uli Ioane pleaded guilty last week and are expected to testify for the government.