Supreme Court to Hear LTC President’s Claim to Validate Appointments

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 16 FEBRUARY 2022: A hearing date for the claim by the President of the Land & Titles Court, Fepuleai Atila Ropati to validate the recent swearing in and appointments of three senior judges, will be set tomorrow (Thursday).

Counsel Leilani Tamati for the President could not disclose details of the case but said perhaps more could be set out when the matter is called.

The claim is basically for the Supreme Court to validate the swearing in of the new LTC Deputy President, Faimalōmatumua Mathew Lemisio, new LTC Judge Taueva Lelevaga Fa’afouina Mupo and the promotion of Leaupepe Fatu Pula to the position of Vice President.

President of the Land & Titles Court, Fepuleai Atila Ropati.

The three judges were sworn in by the President last December and the ceremony attended by only the LTC judges, the appointee’s families and media.

The appointments were however declared by Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa as invalid and illegal.

Fiamē cited the controversial LTC Act 2020 which she said does not have any provisions to authorise such appointments and the associated salary packages.

After almost two months, the appointees have yet to take up their posts.

Except for Leaupepe Fatu Pula who has been a LTC judge for some time, Lelevaga is a former Chief Executive Officer for the Fire & Emergency Services Samoa (FESA). He resigned to compete in last year’s election.

Faimalōmatumua is the former Electoral Commissioner who also resigned when he was appointed as Deputy President.