Samoa's highest court approves closed bail hearing

Samoa's highest court has approved a closed court bail hearing for a jailed Samoan blogger accused of an assassination plot against the prime minister.

Malele Atofu Paulo and co-defendant Lema'i Faioso are charged with conspiring to assassinate Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi.

They will appear in the Supreme Court in Apia on 29 November in a bail hearing, where media and the public are banned.

Malele, popularly known as King Faipopo, was last week jailed for seven weeks for defaming the prime minister.

Police have yet to disclose whether a third suspect in the assassination plot, who resides in Australia, could be extradited to stand trial on the same charges.