Lemalu Herman Retzlaff

Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff is a Samoan New Zealander lawyer. He served as Attorney-General of Samoa from 2016 to 2020. He is the son of former attorney-general and deputy prime minister Misa Telefoni Retzlaff.[1]

Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff
Attorney General of Samoa
In office
18 April 2016 – 20 March 2020
Prime MinisterTuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Preceded byMing Leung Wai
Succeeded bySavalenoa Mareva Betham Annandale

Early life and career

Retzlaff was born in Samoa and was educated at Apia Primary and Leifiifi Intermediate Schools.[2] From 2001 he worked as a commercial law lecturer at the National University of Samoa before moving to New Zealand to work as a Crown Prosecutor.[2] He was later a solicitor with the New Zealand Ministry of Justice's Public Defence Service.[3] For two terms he was president of New Zealand's Pacific Law Association.[3]

In the 2014 New Zealand general election he stood as a candidate for the New Zealand Labour Party in the newly-created electorate of Upper Harbour,[4] losing to Paula Bennett.[5]

Attorney-General

In March 2016 he was appointed Attorney-General of Samoa.[3][6] Shortly after taking the role Director of Public Prosecutions Mauga Precious Chang was charged with dangerous driving, and police chief Fuiavailili Egon Keil was suspended and charged with unlawful detention. Lemalu hired lawyers from New Zealand to oversee the prosecutions, a decision which was contested by the National prosecution Office.[7][8] He was also responsible for the assault prosecution of Lands and Titles Court president Fepulea'i Attila Ropati[9] and the subsequent appeal which led to his conviction.[10] In July 2019 his contract as attorney-general was extended.[11]

In February 2020 he resigned as attorney-general in order to take up a position as a crown solicitor in New Zealand.[12][13][14] He was replaced as attorney-general by Savalenoa Mareva Betham Annandale.[15] Following his resignation he spoke out in support of the controversial Land and Titles Bills, which were then before Samoa's parliament.[16]

In 2022 Lemalu was appointed the Public Defender Waitakere within the New Zealand Ministry of Justice.[17]

References
  1. Samoa Attorney General Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff Resigns, samoaglobalnews.com, February 14, 2020
  2. Lanuola Tusani Tupufia (24 March 2016). "New A.G: It's an honour". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  3. "New Attorney-General for Samoa congratulated". New Zealand Ministry of Justice. 16 March 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  4. "Labour backs young, gifted Pacific candidates". Scoop. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  5. "Official Count Results -- Upper Harbour". New Zealand Electoral Commission. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  6. "Samoa has new AG and prosecutor". RNZ. 7 March 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  7. "Samoa's NPO says AG can't hire NZ lawyers". RNZ. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  8. "Foreigner selected for prosecution in Samoa police chief case". RNZ. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  9. "Samoa Lands and Titles court President to face criminal charges". RNZ. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  10. "Samoa's Lands and Titles Court President convicted". RNZ. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  11. Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong (5 July 2019). "Cabinet extends A.G's contract". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  12. "Samoa Attorney General Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff Resigns". Samoa Global News. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  13. "Samoa AG tenders shock resignation". RNZ. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  14. Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong (13 February 2020). "Attorney General Lemalu resigns". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  15. "Samoa appoints new Attorney-General". RNZ. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  16. Mata'afa Keni Lesa (25 April 2020). "Former A.G. Lemalu defends L.T.C Bills". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  17. Kelemete, Loreta (20 September 2022). "Family Celebrates Three Generations of Lawyers". Samoa Global News. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
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