A Tongan man accused of child molestation and rape in the US state of Washington has been arrested in America Samoa.
Samoa News has reported that Paul Harman, sought in Washington for the alleged rape of an underage girl 13 years ago, was arrested last Friday in Pago Pago by the American Samoa Department of Homeland Security.
Mr Harman appeared yesterday in the High Court of American Samoa. He has been remanded in local custody until another hearing next Wednesday, after which he is likely to be extradited to Washington.
Mr Harman had lived in American Samoa some years ago but it wasn't until he applied for a permit to re-enter American Samoa that a warrant for his arrest was activated.
He had been charged in Washington in 2008 but left the state while on bail.
Photo by Samoa News. Caption: Paul Harman being escorted by Homeland Security Special Agents