Photo: RNZ
The president of the Land and Titles Court (LTC), Lesatele Rapi Vaai, warned the villagers against contempt if they don't refrain from interfering in an order issued earlier this month.
They were warned they could face prison or monetary fines of up to $500 tālā.
The Samoa Observer reports the order followed an application from businessman Ututaaloga Charlie Ulia and others of Afega on December 16, against Lupeto Sevesi, Savea Latafoti, Umu Pati Muaau and the village council of Levi Sailemoa.
The president noted decisions of the court on the disputed land dated September 15 2023 and December 1 2023, and ordered the matai of Levi Saleimoa to remove wires, stones, tree logs and other materials used to block the road of Afega on the east side of the boundary line confirmed by the First Court.
Levi's first application to the LTC was to stay the execution of a decision in September this year that confirmed the surveyed boundary of Afega and Saleimoa.
A decision by the LTC in 1963 ruled in favour of Afega giving the village council authority over boundaries of land that span from Afega to the east across Levi, Saleimoa, affecting the villages of Tuana'i and Leauva'a in between.
The boundaries referred to in that decision were only surveyed in May this year, when Afega applied to the court to have it surveyed and subsequently confirmed in the latest decision.
Levi has appealed the Court's decision to confirm the surveyed boundary but a date is yet to be set for that appeal since the composition of the Court of Appeal and Review has not been confirmed
