New judges for Samoa's court of appeal have been sworn in.
This comes as proceedings are to start in two weeks.
Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia reports.
"The three new judges from New Zealand are replacing three other retired New Zealand judges who were presiding in more than a decade. Chief Executive of the Ministry of Justice and Court Administration, Masinalupe Tusipa, says that Honorable Justice Anthony Arthur Travers Ellis is now the presiding president, replacing Judge Lord Cooke who was president for over twenty years. The two other Judges are Justice Rodney Gerald Gallen and Peter Maxell Salmon, replacing Sir Maurice Casey and Sir Gordon Bisson. The out-going judges are recipients of the order of Tiafau award, presented to them by the Samoan government last year in recognition of their service. Meanwhile, nine of the twelve appeals currently heard in the court are criminal."
