Satiu Simativa Perese

Satiu Simativa Perese
Chief Justice of Samoa
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 June 2020
Nominated byTuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Appointed byTuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II
Preceded byPatu Tiava'asu'e Falefatu Sapolu
Personal details
Born1962 (age 61–62)
Magiagi, Samoa
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington,
Columbia University

Satiu Simativa Perese (born 1962) is a Samoan judge. He has served as the Chief Justice of Samoa since 12 June 2020.

Perese was born in Magiagi, Samoa and educated at Magiagi Primary School.[1] His family moved to New Zealand when he was a child. He studied business at Massey University and then became a newsreader for Radio New Zealand.[2] In 1986 he began studying law at Victoria University of Wellington, from which he graduated in 1989, and he was admitted to the bar in 1990.[2] He subsequently worked for the New Zealand Crown Law Office.[1] In 1995 he became the first Samoan to win a Harkness Fellowship,[3] and studied at Columbia University in New York.[1]

Perese was admitted to the bar in Samoa in 1999, and has also worked in the Cook Islands.[3] From 2000 to 2002 he was President of the Pacific Lawyers Society, and in 2002 he was appointed as inaugural chair of the National Pacific Radio Trust, which operates the Pacific Media Network.[4] From 2003 to 2009 he was a member of the New Zealand Human Rights Review Tribunal. He has also worked as a New Zealand Crown prosecutor.[1]

As a lawyer, he represented New Zealand MP Taito Phillip Field during his trial for corruption.[5] In 2016, he was hired by Samoa's Attorney-General to prosecute the then-Director of the National Prosecutions Office, Mauga Precious Chang.[6][7]

In March 2020, Perese was appointed Chief Justice of Samoa, replacing Patu Tiava'asu'e Falefatu Sapolu.[3] He was sworn in on 12 June 2020.[8] In October 2020 he was evacuated to New Zealand for medical treatment.[9]

In May 2021 he delivered the judgement in the case of the FAST Party against the Electoral Commission, overturning the revocation of the 2021 election.[10] On 7 July, the HRPP lodged a complaint against him with the Judicial Services Commission, alleging he was incompetent.[11]

  1. ^ a b c d "Satiu Simativa I Perese appointed as Chief Justice". Samoa Global News. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Satiu Simativa Perese, Chief Justice of Sāmoa". New Zealand Law Society. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (20 March 2020). "Satiu Simativa Perese is Samoa's new Chief Justice". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  4. ^ "First Pacific Broadcasting Board Announced". Scoop. 8 May 2002. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Taito Phillip Field 'victim of political conspiracy' - lawyer". Stuff. 7 October 2009. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Samoa Attorneys Upset at Use of off Island Lawyers". Talanei. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Samoa hires NZ lawyers for high-level prosecutions". RNZ. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Samoa swears in new Chief Justice". RNZ. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  9. ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (27 December 2020). "Chief Justice to resume work in February". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  10. ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (17 May 2021). "Court overrules fresh elections". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  11. ^ Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (7 July 2021). "H.R.P.P. moves against Chief Justice". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 8 July 2021.