Retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Lesatele Rapi Vaai, was sworn in this morning as one of the presiding judges at the hearing of candidates election eligibility hearings starting next week, Monday.
Newsline Samoa confirmed the swearing-in this from court officials who were present at the ceremony.
Justice Lesatele’s temporary judiciary duties is to help meet the tight 20 working days schedule to complete the court hearings over the next coming three (3) weeks.
There will be two judges to preside over each of the petitions.
All 20 court petitions filed for hearing in the Supreme Court were brought up for mention this week on Monday.
Petitioning candidates and their legal teams are given this week to finalise their court motions for the start of hearings next week.
All other matters scheduled for hearing in the Supreme Court over the next three weeks are adjourned while priority is given to the election petitions.
The Ministry of Justice CEO Moliei Simi Vaai is expected to give a full statement of the urgent recruitment of retired judge Lesatele.