President of Lands & Titles Court convicted

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A Court of Appeal has convicted the President of the Samoa Lands and Titles Court, Fepulea’i Attila Ropati, of an assault two years ago.

The president, who is on suspension with full pay, has also been fined $ST5000 and ordered to pay $ST2000 reparation costs to the victim.

The case stems from an incident in 2017 when Ropati assaulted the Ministry of Justice’s night watchman, Saili Leota, during an end of year function. The victim received injuries inflicted by an empty beer bottle.

Fepulea’i was discharged without conviction by District Court Judge Rosella Papalii Viane, May 11 , 2018.

Talamua online quotes Justice Robert Fisher saying in his verbal ruling in court Monday that the Court of Appeal’s main concern was the seriousness of the charge.

Justice Fisher noted that the District Court judge discharged the respondent subject to certain conditions but without convictions, and it appeared to the Court of Appeal that unintentionally, the judge had understated the seriousness of the offence and of the injury that resulted to the victim.

“Therefore a conviction is unavoidable.”

The Court of Appeal said the incident was fundamentally important to the role of the Judiciary, which is to be seen as of high standard to the eyes of the public, and must be held accountable to members of the public.