Samoa's Prime Minister has called for the resignations of court judges who take too long to make decisions.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. Photo: Samoa Govt
According to TV1Samoa, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi made the remark in Parliament on Friday.
Tuilaepa was reportedly responding to a disappointment voiced by Vaimauga East MP Sulamanaia Tauiliili Tuivasa about the delay in a manslaughter case against people accused of being involved in the death of his son a year ago.
The prime minister told the house that many members of the public came to his office complaining about judgements taking too long to be delivered by the courts.
"We cannot have these cases dragging on and on through the late delivery of decisions, for whatever reason," Tuilaepa said.
Tuilaepa called for any court judges taking more than three months to make decisions to tender their resignations.
He said delayed judgements brought into question the integrity of the courts.
Tuilaepa said if the delays were being caused by a shortage of judges in the country then his cabinet was ready to appoint more.
"Justice delayed is justice denied," said Tuilaepa.
In response to the MP expressing frustrations about delays in the manslaughter case against those implicated in his son's death, the Justice Minister Fa'aolesa Katopau Ainu'u told MP Solamanaia the matter was now scheduled for February.
