Neu: 2002-02-17 Contents of this issue:
1. Top Honour For Epati ======================================================================== February 17th, 2002 1. Top Honour For Epati: Samoan A'ea'u Semi Epati has been appointed the first Pacific Islander to be a District Court Judge of New Zealand. He was a former solicitor general for the Niue Government 1995-96.. Judge Epati, who has been practising as a barrister in Auckland, is a High Chief from Falealupo in Savai'i. A 1974 law graduate of Otago University, he has practised as a barrister solely in Auckland since 1996. His recent work has been mostly criminal work, including some major trials in Samoa and Kiribati. He represented the former minister, Toi Aokuso, in the murder trial over the killing of Luagalau Levaula Kamu, Samoa's former Minister of Public Works. Both Toi and co-defendant Leafa Vitale, also a former minister, were convicted and are now serving life in jail. He has previously practised mostly as a general practitioner in New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga. He was a temporary magistrate in Samoa for six months in 1986. Judge Epati is a former President of the Western Samoa Law Society. Judge Epati has considerable involvement in Pacific Islands community activities in New Zealand. As well as being fluent in Samoan, Tokelauan, and Tuvaluan he has an understanding of Niuean and Tongan. The new judge will be sworn in on Friday, and will sit in the Manukau Court in Auckland. (PINANius On Line). __END__
