4 Apr 2011

Electoral court in Samoa to begin hearing elections petitions on 12th April

10:22 am on 4 April 2011

Two applications seeking acceptance from Samoa's Electoral Court to withdraw two election petitions will be heard tomorrow.

Ten election petitions were called for mention last Friday.

The former opposition MP and one of Tautua Samoa's unsuccessful candidates, Taua Faraimo, has applied through his lawyer for his petition to be withdrawn because the matter has been resolved and settled with the respondent.

A lawyer representing one of the ruling HRPP party's unsuccessful candidate, Taito Ali'ifaalogo Faitele's, case against a HRPP first time MP, Tialavea Fea Tionisio, has also applied for the petition to be withdrawn.

That leaves eight other cases for the Electoral court to hear in sittings starting on April 12th.

Meanwhile three private prosecution cases over allegations of election bribery and treating, to be heard in the District Court, have been filed and will be called for mention on the same date.

A former HRPP MP, Moefaauo Lufilufi, who has an election petition case in the Electoral court, has also filed for a private prosecution against the newly elected government MP, Alai'asa Tionisio Schwartz Hunt.

An unsuccessful Tautua Samoa candidate, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, has also filed a private prosecution against the new Minister of Police and Prisons, Sala Fata Pinati, and the case by former opposition MP, Toluno Feti, against HRPP new MP, Afoafouvale John Moors.