Justice Vui Clarence Nelson

These were the words of Justice Vui Clarence Nelson, one of top judge’s in Samoa and the Pacific. 

PMN News reports the 67-year-old Samoan matai (high chief) will receive an Honorary Doctorate – Doctor of Laws from the University of Canterbury (UoC) at a ceremony this Thursday.

Justice Vui grew up in and attended high school in Apia before being awarded a Government scholarship to study in New Zealand at the age of 16. He is also an alumni of UoC, having graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1977.

He was first appointed as a Judge to the District Court in 2000.

The swearing in ceremony will be held at Vailele, the residence of the Head of State, his Highness Tuinalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvai II.

A graduate of St Joseph College, Justice Nelson is the first Pacific Island Judge to be appointed to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The Samoa Observer newspaper reported Justice Vui made the comment during the sentencing of Pitoitua Aloese on multiple narcotics and firearms charges.

He pleaded guilty to the charges that stemmed from an unexpected raid at Fa'atoia in December 2019 while four co-defendants pleaded not guilty.

Aloese later became a witness for the prosecution against his co-defendants who all denied the charges but have since been found guilty.

On the firearms, Justice Vui said the modified gun could cause as much damage as a .22 rifle because of its short barrel.