Pacific

American Samoa senate asks for stay on court order to reinstate a sacked Senator

16:32 pm on 24 December 2002

The American Samoa Senate has asked the High Court for a stay of its November 20th ruling which ordered the reinstatement of former senator, Fa'amausili Pola.

The request comes as the High Court is reviewing another motion for reconsideration or a new trial in the case.

In it's new motion, the Senate says that it has received a letter from the Chief of Tau County, stating that the county's village council had chosen Nuanuaolefegaiga Toatolu as their new Senator.

The Senate, says also that it has new evidence that Fa'amausili was ousted from Tau, calling into question his qualification to sit as a senator.

The Senate said that it cannot comply with the court's November order, act on the letter from the Tau Village Council and information about Fa'amausili because it is in recess until next month.