One of Samoa's assistant police commissioners, Samoa Mulinu'u, has been suspended following the arrest of the Police Commissioner on Monday.
But the assistant police chief said he had not been served with cabinet's decision on the matter.
Our correspondent in Apia said Samoa Mulinu'u had been suspended because the government had not been informed his boss Fuiavailili Egon Keil was going to be arrested.
Fuiavailili is facing seven charges including incitement to murder.
He had only just returned to resume his duties after an earlier suspension was lifted in relation to a separate case.
The criminal charges against him were withdrawn in that case after an inquiry found there was insufficient evidence.
A view of Apia taken from outside police headquarters Photo: RNZI/ Sally Round
Call for probe of Samoa police ministry
A Samoan opposition MP Olo Fiti Vaai has called for a commission of inquiry to investigate the police ministry, saying it is in a mess.
Olo told the Samoa Observer that such an inquiry was long overdue as internal fights between police officers had been going on for a long time.
He warned that the division within the police force is something that should not be taken lightly.
Olo likened the situation to that of the late 1990s when a cabinet minister was assassinated as a result of a conspiracy between two fellow HRPP members.