The District Court in Samoa has transferred to the Supreme Court criminal charges against the Lands and Titles court President, Fepulea'i Attila Ropati.
Photo: 123rf
This comes after police filed an additional charge of causing grievous bodily harm which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.
The president was also charged with one count of assault, armed with a dangerous weapon and actual bodily harm.
A district Court hearing today was called at 9am - an hour earlier than the usual start time.
Our correspondent said this was to avoid the media, and lawyers have questioned why the judiciary was giving special treatment to the judge's case.