The Samoa Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration has moved swiftly to bring criminal charges of contempt of court on the newly installed Malietoa title holder, Papalii Faamausili Moli Malietoa and some chiefs and orators of the village of Malie.
TV1 Samoa reports that Deputy Court Registrar, Tuiloma Lopez Williams, has written to the Ministry of Police asking that formal charges be laid against those involved in the bestowal.
Papalii and the matai of Malie were issued with two temporary restraining orders by the Land and Titles court last Thursday following petitions from matais of neighbouring village Afega for a stay of the the bestowal ceremony.
However the title bestowal went ahead with Malie matai saying there was nothing wrong with their traditional right to bestow the title and that the courts will decide later.
A total of 13 matai of Malie have been named in the letter to police along with Papalii who may now see his Malietoa title bestowal annulled by the courts for the second time.
It’s been more than a decade since the last holder of the Malietoa title, former Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II passed away.
It is not known when the police will formally lay charges.
