The decision by the Attorney General’s Office in Samoa to hire New Zealand independent prosecutors to handle cases involving senior public servants in Samoa has been criticized by senior lawyers in the country.
New Zealand lawyer Satiu Simativa Perese is prosecuting the case of the Director of the National Prosecutions Office, Mauga Precious Chang while the lawfirm of Meredith Connell will prosecute the case of the Commissioner of Police Fuiavailili Egon Keil.
A media statement from the Office of the Attorney General said the principal of equality of all before the law and fairness of the proceedings are such that the matters require an objective view from those not involved in any part of proceedings.
The Newsline newspaper says senior lawyers who were not named are angered by the reasons given for hiring overseas prosecutors..
They say it gives the impression that the law profession in Samoa are not objective and fair and gives a negative impression of lawyers in the country.
The lawyers, who did not wish to be named, said the statement from the AG’s Office questions their fairness and objectivity and suggests they are not professional.
The local attorneys said they are fully qualified to prosecute these cases instead of having to bring in overseas lawyers.
The Newsline said AG Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff was asked for a comment but had not responded when they went to print.
The Director of Prosecutions Mauga and Commissioner of Police Fuiavailili are suspended while their cases are going through the judicial process.
Mauga is charged in relation to traffic offences while charges against Fuiavailili stem from a raid and arrest of a man who was selling produce at the Fugalei market.
