Samoa's deputy prime minister, Fonotoe Nuafesili Pierre Lauofo Meredith, and one of his associate ministers, Muagututagata Peter Ah Him, have now been charged over traffic offences from last year.
The charges have been confirmed by the acting police commissioner in Samoa, Nafo'i Talaimanu Keti.
The deputy prime minister is facing one count of inciting or encouraging the obstruction of a police officer from executing his or her duties.
Muagututagata is charged with making an illegal U-turn and willfully obstructing a police officer.
The criminal traffic offences stem from a routine police patrol on the 4th of October last year, in which the associate minister was stopped for breath testing, and making an unlawful U-turn on part of Apia beach road.
The deputy prime minister on the same day had approached the police, where he is alleged to have asked the police to let his associate minister go.
The pair are due to appear in the district court next Tuesday for mention.
