CABINET RELEASE
7 October 2016
Attorney General assumes NPO duties
Cabinet has confirmed the assumption of prosecutorial duties by the Office of the Attorney General (AG), following the suspension of the Acting Director of the National Prosecution Office (NPO).
The suspension of Acting Director of NPO, Ms Muriel Lui, is pursuant to sections 11(4), 11 (7) and 11(8) of the NPO Act 2015 and the appointment of the Attorney General, Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff, as Acting Director of the National Prosecution Office is pursuant to Article 41A of the Constitution. Cabinet has also resolved to appoint a Tribunal to evaluate the performance of Ms Lui and the suspended Director of NPO, Mauga Precious Chang.
Cabinet has noted the continued refusal of the suspended Acting Director of NPO and suspended Director of NPO to properly perform powers and duties to uphold the rule of law and objectivity of the criminal justice system.
Cabinet acknowledges that the actions of Ms Lui and Ms Chang have created unnecessary conflicts between government departments while diminishing public confidence in law enforcement processes and the justice system in Samoa. Furthermore, the validity of the establishment of the National Prosecution Office will also be reviewed to ensure the Statutory responsibilities and powers are treated with greater transparency, accountability and respect.
The Tribunal will be appointed on the grounds that Ms Chang and Ms Lui have not used the Statutory powers given to them in an appropriate manner and they have breached Civil Service Values and Code of Conduct under the Public Service Act 2004, as applied to them under section 15 of the NPO Act 2015.
Members of the Tribunal will include Justice Grant Hammond, former Justice of the High Court of Samoa; Tuiloma Neroni Slade, former Attorney General of Samoa; and the President of the Samoa Law Society or an appointed representative of the society. Their report will be provided to the Minister responsible for the NPO, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
The Attorney General has assumed the role of Acting Director of the National Prosecution Office as of 6th October 2016.
Tofia Loia Sili avea ma Sui Faatonu o le Ofisa Faatautaia Moliaga Faasoligatulafono
Ua faamaonia e le Kapeneta le tofia o le Loia Sili, Afioga Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff e avea ma Sui Faatonu o le Ofisa e Faatautaia Moliaga Faa Soligatulafono (NPO).
Ua faamalolo le tumau nei le Sui Faatonu o le ofisa lenei, le Susuga ia Muriel Lui, e tusa ai o le vaega 11(4), 11(7), ma le 11(8) o le Tulafono a le Ofisa e Faatautaia Moliaga Faa Soligatulafono 2015 (NPO Act).
Ua tofia foi le Komiti Faafoe o Faatalanoaga o le Tulafono a le NPO e iloiloina tiute faatino o le Sui Faatonu ia Muriel Lui ma le Faatonu lea ua faamalolo le tumau, Mauga Precious Chang.
Ua faamauina e le Kapeneta le faaauau o le teena e le Sui Faatonu faapea ma le Faatonusili o le Ofisa e Faatautaia Moliaga Faa Soligatulafono ia ua faamalolo le tumau, ona faatino alafeagai malosiaga ma tiute mo le tausia o le tulafono ma le tutoatasi o galuega faafaamasinoga.
Ua faailoa e le Kapeneta le aliali o feteenaiga le talafeagai i le va o matagaluega a le Malo ma ua faamaualaloina ai le silasila a le atunuu i tulaga o faiga faafaamasinoga i Samoa. O le isi tulaga, o le a toe iloilo le malosiaga na faavae ai le Ofisa e Faatautaia Moliaga Faa Soligatulafono ina ia mautinoa le faatino pea o tiute o lenei ofisa i le tulaga manino, aloaia ma le faaaloalogia.
O le mafuaaga o le tofia o le komiti faafoe, ona ua aafia Mauga ma le susuga ia Muriel Lui i se faatinoga ua tuuina ai le Faatonu i le tulaga e feteenai ai ma le faatinoga o tiute ma matafaioi patino a le Faatonu ma le solia ai o le Vaega IV o aga tausili, taiala faavae, ma le tulafono laititi o amioga pulea i lalo o le Tulafono o galuega a le Malo 2004.
O le Komiti Faafoe o faatalanoaga e aofia ai:
- Taitaifono ia Grant Hammond, o se tamalii sa avea muamua ma Faamasino i Samoa;
- Tuiloma Neroni Slade lea sa avea muamua ma Loia Sili;
- Peresetene po o se sui o le Asosi a Loia a Samoa.
O le a tuuina atu se lipoti a lenei komiti i le Minisita o le Ofisa e Faatautaia Moliaga Faa Soligatulafono, le Afioga i le alii Palemia, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
Ua amatalia tiute o le Afioga i le Loia Sili e avea ai ma Sui Faatonu o le Ofisa e Faatautaia Moliaga Faa Soligatulafono i le aso 6 Oketopa 2016.
###
