47 families of Levi village to vacate disputed lands

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 17 May 2025 – The Lands and titles Court has ruled in favour of the Alii ma Faipule of Afega village on two long-standing matters on disputed lands with Levi village.

On Wednesday this week, the LTC rejected an application to appeal by the Alii ma Faipule of Levi Saleimoa regarding the land boundaries claimed by both Levi and Afega villages.

In his decision, the Deputy LTC President, Afamasaga Michael Soonalole cited new evidence provided by Levi to support their appeal application.

However, the purported new evidence was already recorded in previous court hearings in 1963 and are also recorded in the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (MNRE).

The 1963 decision was in favour of Afega and that decision was not appealed until 30 years later.

On Friday, the LTC also upheld a decision from 1923 and 1963 for the removal of 47 families of Levi residing on the land claimed by Afega.

The decision of 1963 which the Court upheld in 2023 noted the removal of Levi families from the land 3 months from the date the decision was delivered.

The 47 families currently residing on the lands claimed by Afega now have three months to vacate the land.

A similar case between Afega and Leauva’a is yet to be heard in the Supreme Court, after Leauva’a village took a step further and asked not only for compensation but their rights to the land they had occupied for more than 50 years.