Samoa ava ceremony Photo: Jane Patterson
A family chief in opposition to the chosen candidate for the high paramount chief title of Malietoa in Samoa says he is planning court action.
Papali'itele Faamausili Moli, who is a son of the late head of state and title holder, Malietoa Tanumafili II, has been been put forward, reportedly with support from all three branches of the family.
But another son of the late head of state and family matai, Papali'i Titiuatoa Malietoa said that was not the case and it is not a unanimous decision by the late head of state's direct descendants.
He said Papali'itele Faamausili Moli got other people to say yes who don't belong to the family to get it through.
"We are already objecting to it. And we are about to put through an application for a court order to stop all this until what I told you, is that we already know that the law will respect what we are saying. It is not [about] what they are trying to do."
The title had been vacant for a decade, since the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II in 2007, because of dissension over which branch of the family should hold it.