7 Sep 2007

Samoa gets new judges

12:54 pm on 7 September 2007

Three new judges from New Zealand have been sworn in by Samoa's head of state, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, before they preside in the country's court of appeal which starts this week.

Justice William David Baragwanath is the new president of the appeal court with two other presiding justices, Peter Maxell Salmon, and Barry John Patterson.

The new judges replace three other New Zealand judges who retired last year.

The chief executive officer of the Ministry of Justice and Court administration, Masinalupe Tusipa, says the court of appeal is sitting for two weeks to hear nine cases mainly on rulings by the Supreme Court.

The judgments are expected to be delivered at the end of next week.