By Staff Writer
The controversial Harmony Agreement court ruling fallout continues to linger with the Samoa Law Society (SLS) reportedly in a tussle over the contempt of court conviction of senior solicitor Maiava Visekota Peteru.
A petition reportedly demanding the Council take action was circulated amongst society members but it was unclear what actions if any they want taken.
The SLS Council was forced to call a special meeting on Friday night reportedly to discuss the complaints and see where they should go from there.
The society has kept the issue strictly confidential to members only but it is understood some of the influential senior members were behind the petition.
Prior to the Friday meeting, Newsline Samoa was able to confirm from the SLS President Alex Su’a complaints made against Maiava from the Council and also some of the members.
“The complaints were forwarded to our Complaints and Investigation Committee, which is the normal process we follow in all complaints made against any member of the SLS,” Su’a explained.
He went on to also confirm that the committee has since handed in their report.
The society’s 3-member Disciplinary Tribunal will review the report and determine what actions to take.
Newsline Samoa was unable to confirm from the SLS President reports that the organised petition, questioned why the Council has not taken action with the immediate suspension of Maiava.
Su’a, in the Friday meeting, however, reportedly went over the whole process, for a better understanding of handling complaints brought against any member of the SLS.
More than 50 members attended which is understood to be the highest ever for a society meeting.
The Maiava contempt of court conviction is understood to have stirred strong political undercurrents in the SLS membership support for and against both political parties.
The senior members behind the petition against Maiava reportedly included the Government political party legal counsel.
Maiava is closely involved with the Human Rights Protection Party, HRPP.
She was convicted alongside the opposition leader and former Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and Secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi in the Harmony Agreement court ruling.
“Our legal advisers for civil contempt were confident the Court acceptance of our apologies and undertaking as to no penalty would mean Parliament and the SLS follow suit,” Maiava argued in her defence.
But that was not the case when all three convictions including Maiava were made without penalty or punishment by the court.
The irony behind the Harmony Agreement court convictions is that it has already made it possible for the Government dominated Parliament to hand out an ‘indefinite suspension” punishment to Tuilaepa and Lealailepule.
The suspension is being challenged in court by the pair and is set for hearing next month in August.
Maiava will have to wait for a decision by the SLS Disciplinary Tribunal to see what fate has in stored for her.
The Harmony Agreement was made by the two political parties to turn on a clean page for a new re-start to restore peace and harmony in the country following the divisions of the April 2021 general elections.
The agreement is yet to live up to its noble expectations with fallouts in the aftermath of ongoing controversies.