Supreme Court dismisses former Attorney General’s claim against Prime Minister

The Supreme Court of Samoa has dismissed the claim by the former Attorney General, Savalenoa Mareva Betham-Annandale, against the Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa. Savalenoa filed a lawsuit believing her dismissal from the position of Attorney General in August 2021 was unjust.

Savalenoa firmly believed that the Prime Minister did not have the authority within the law and the Constitution to terminate the position of the Attorney General. However, in delivering the court’s decision today, Tuesday, 30 July 2024, the court dismissed Savalenoa’s allegations, stating that there is no need for a judicial review of the matter.

The court found that the Prime Minister’s actions were lawful, and that Savalenoa’s dismissal was justified based on three primary grounds:

1. Savalenoa’s conduct during a court hearing on 23 May 2021, where she refused to accept service of court documents and walked out of the courtroom while it was in session.
2. Savalenoa’s application for recusal filed on 26 May 2021, which questioned the impartiality of the judges without substantial evidence.
3. Her failure to take action against escalating attacks on the judiciary following the general election in 2021, particularly those by the former Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, which undermined public confidence in the judiciary.

Additionally, the court ordered Savalenoa to pay $5000 in court costs to the Prime Minister.

Tala tusia i le gagana Samoa

Fa’aleaogaina e le Faamasinoga Maualuga le tagi a lē sa avea ma Lōia Sili e faasaga i le Palemia

Ua fa’aleaogāina e le Fa’amasinoga Sili a Samoa le tagi a lē sa avea ma Lōia Sili a le Mālō, Savalenoa Mareva Betham-Annandale, lea na ia su’ia ai le Palemia i le Fa’amasinoga i lona talitonuga e le sa’o le mafua’aga ma le fa’amālōlōina o ia mai le tofiga Lōia Sili i le masina o Aukuso i le 2021.

Sa talitonu maumaututū Savalenoa e leai se malosiaga a le Palemia i totonu o le tulafono ma le Fa’avae o le Mālō e fa’amuta ai le tofiga o le Lōia Sili. Ae i le tōlaulauina o le fa’aiuga a le Fa’amasinoga i le aso, Aso Lua, 30 Iulai 2024, ua fa’aleaogāina ai tu’ua’iga a Savalenoa ma ua fa’apea ai le Fa’amasinoga e le tatau ona toe faia se iloiloga fa’afa’amasinoga i lea mata’upu.

Ua fa’atonuina fo’i e le Fa’amasinoga le itu tagi ina ia totogi atu i le Palemia le tau o lea Fa’amasinoga e tusa ma le $5000.

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT 2024