Court issues eviction order to Levi families

By Lagi Keresoma

Apia, Samoa – 13 February 2024: The court has issued an eviction order on three families of Levi, Saleimoa and given three months to vacate the lands claimed by the Alii ma Faipule of Afega village as theirs.

The decision was delivered last Friday after the court heard claims from Afega that they are the rightful owners of the lands the three families have been residing on.

One of the Levi families’ matai, Lefue Peresnise Lelevaga told Talamua that he was appealing the decision.

Last year, the Alii ma Faipule of Afega claimed the lands using a 1963court decision.

Since 1963, the lands had been occupied by families from Levi, Leauvaa and Tuanai.

When Afega exercised the 1963 court decision, mediation between the three villages and Afega were unsuccessful and the Lands and Titles Court emphasized that the 1963 decision remains.

The Court also reminded that none of the three villages appealed the 1963 decision and only filed appeals 30 years later.

Those appeals are currently pending for hearing in Court.

Meanwhile, the families have been ordered and given three months to vacate the disputed lands they are currently occupying.