Senior Supreme Court Justice Vui Clarence Nelson has been appointed Acting Chief Justice for Samoa following the retirement of Patu Tiavasu’e Falefatu Maka Sapolu after 27 years as CJ.
TV1 Samoa reported that Patu made the announcement at a farewell cocktail evening and the appointment of Vui was confirmed by Acting CEO of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration, Ronnie Fereti.
Justice Vui worked as a lawyer in Samoa after graduating from Canterbury University in the early 1970s and was appointed to the bench 20 years ago.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told media that he is still awaiting divine guidance as to who will be the country’s next Chief Justice.
“I am still praying and once I acquire the whispers from God, then a decision will be made,” he told media earlier this week.
He said in the meantime a judge is now acting Chief Justice and warming up the seat “for a week, a couple of weeks or even a month”.
“But if it takes up to six months, that’s not a bad thing at all,” he said.
