Apia, SAMOA — A man on trial in Samoa for posting comments online last year attacking the government's measles vaccination program is seeking the recusal of yet another judge presiding over his case.

Edwin Tamasese's defense lawyer has applied for recusal of Justice Alalatoa Rosella Papalii because of her connection to the Minister of Police.

The Minister was involved in the state of emergency declared by the government in response to the deadly measles outbreak which killed 83 people, most of them children.

Two other judges on the case have already been recused due to conflicts of interest.

The new recusal application will be heard in three weeks time.

83 people, mostly children, died in the outbreak.

But Justice Papalii said she was surprised with the ground of the application.

The trial is on hold until the judge delivers a decision on this preliminary matter at the end of this month.