The Samoa Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by an Associate Minister against business partners in a long drawn out case of suits and counter suits over a failed nonu export business.
Samoa government MP and associate minister Peseta Vaifou Tevaga Photo: RNZI correspondent
The Samoa Observer reports that Associate Minister Peseta Vaifou Tevaga had appealed a decision which went against him on the grounds that the judge had erred in fact and in law.
There was also a claim that the judge had connections with the respondents, through her brother, also a lawyer and had represented the respondents in other matters and also that Judge Tuala-Warren was once employed by Tuala Law Firm.
Peseta claimed that this gave rise to an apparent bias.
The Appeal Court ruled that there is no reason to have regard to any of the dealings between the parties and Tuala Law since Tuala-Warren left the law firm.
The case has involved hundreds of charges being filed and a numebr of high profile members of the community.
