Former Employee sues NUS for breach of contract

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 13 JUNE 2022: The lawsuit by the former Deputy Vice Chancellor of Corporate Services of the National University of Samoa has been set down on the week commencing 17 October 2022.

Mauagaoalii Ufagalilo Faamanu Mualia is suing the National University for breach of employment contract.

Maugaoalii was appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor of Corporate Services in September 2018.

In early 2019, allegations surfaced of University staff accused of tampering the students’ exam results.

The tension within the University continued for some time and former Vice Chancellor Professor Fui Lau Asofou So’o called on the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Administration, Peseta Dr. Desmond Lee Hang’s resignation.

Peseta in turn called on the University Council claiming unfair treatment.

No solution was reached and the matter reached and Cabinet later suspended Fui and placed Peseta and Maugaoalii on special leave and handed the matter down to the Ombudsman for investigation.

At the end of the investigation, Peseta was reinstated while Maugaoalii’s position as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Corporate Services was dissolved, hence the lawsuit now before the Court.