Samoa’s Land and Titles Court has overturned the Vaito’omuli, Palauli village council decision to ban a village matai, and his children for questioning the location of a new council office.
Samoa Observer reports Autagavaia Upu confirmed the decision overrides the village council decision to banish him and his children in September last year ,and reaffirms the protection of their constitutional rights.
“I believe the decision is from God and is the right one. No one should be removed from their birthright and family ties,” said the father of six.
Autagavaia’s banishment followed his attempts to inquire into the district’s plan to build the district council office on the Member of Parliament’s land claiming there was no agreement to have the office built on the land belonging to the MP.
The Member of Parliament for Palauli No. 3, Lagaaia Tiaituau Tufuga, dismissed suggestions that he was benefiting from the establishment of the district council office on his land.
He said he offered to build the office on his land free of charge, to help village development.
