Samoa's court of appeal has ruled that the Elders Directors committee of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa removal the elder position of Reverend Kerita Reupena of the Queensland district was unlawful.
The courthouse in Apia, Samoa. Photo: RNZI / Sally Round
The ruling said this was because the church minister and appellant's right to observance of the principles of natural justice was not honoured.
Reverend Kerita's lawyer Leulua'ialii Olinda Woodroffe said the decision of the court of appeal would be good lesson for the all church leaders to follow.
"The churches take a lot of money from the people and we need to change the attitude of ministers. They are not God. They go to church that supposedly help the people to embrace values that are written in the bible, but they don't."
The Supreme Court, last year, had ruled in favour of the church to remove the elder.