In the preliminary hearing of the application by the defence to quash contempt of court charges against 16 matais of the village of Malie for disobeying the order, Justice Alalatoa Rosella Papalii, said the former Chief Justice and acting president of the Lands and Titles Court had first issued an order allowing the bestowal of the Malietoa.
The judge also revealed that on the day before the bestowal took place some matai in the neighbouring village of Afega applied for an interim order, which the registrar then issued to stop the whole ceremony.
