By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission
Samoa’s Supreme Court has overturned the Head of State’s proclamation to suspend Parliament’s scheduled swearing-in tomorrow.
Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aleto’a Sualauvi II last night suspended parliament “until such time as to be announced and for reasons that I will make known in due course” in a new edict which voided his previous one calling parliament to convene on Monday.
However, the court called the decision by the Head of State “unlawful’, paving the way for parliament to re-convene tomorrow.
The opposition FAST party, which had expected to declare a majority of seats when Parliament re-convened, had its legal challenge to the proclamation heard in the Supreme Court chambers in Apia this morning.
The decision was reached by the bench comprising the Chief Justice Satiu Simativa Perese, Justice Vui Clarence Nelson and Justice Tafaoimalo Leilani Tuala-Warren.
