The Assistant DPP, Laisani Tabuakuro, is so far out of control that she shamelessly taunts her substantive boss, Christopher Pryde, on social media as being too lamusona to return to Fiji to face a potential FICAC charge. Yet her big mouth seems set to cost her a great deal of money as she is sued for defamation by Mohammed Saneem – once Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum‘s house elf at the Elections Office and now in private practice as a lawyer, with star clients including the former prime minister, Frank Bainimarama.
Saneem has launched proceedings against Tabuakoro for comments she made about him on Facebook which he says impugn his reputation and he is seeking an apology and damages . It’s just the latest in a constant stream of verbal diarrhea on social media emanating from the ADPP – someone who ought to know better and is about to find out the hard way that rash words have consequences.
Laisani Tabuakoro – who happens to be prosecuting Saneem’s client, the Prime Minister – now has to lawyer up herself for the forthcoming court battle to prove the truth of her statements about the former elections supervisor. And unlike Barbara Malimali at FICAC, she won’t be able to do it on the public purse.
Malimali controversially racked up a reported $100,000-plus of taxpayer funds hiring her friend, lawyer Tanya Waqanika, for her unsuccessful attempt to defend herself at the Ashton-Lewis Commission of Inquiry. Malimali will have argued that as FICAC Commissioner, she was entitled to get public money to pay her lawyer even though Christopher Pryde had to pay for his own defence on the charge of misbehaviour of which he was exonerated. Yet it’s impossible to imagine Laisani Tabuakuro being able to get her bosses at the ODPP to pay for her defence against Saneem.
As we reported yesterday, the substantive DPP, Christopher Pryde, terminated Tabuakuro for misconduct by not extending her probation only for the Acting DPP, Nancy Tikoisuva, to reinstate her on the permanent staff. But party-loving Nancy would be very reckless indeed to imagine that she can throw her little pet a financial lifeline to protect her against Dobby in full flight.
No, Tabuakuro is now very much on her own. She will doubtless argue when the case is heard that the current charge against Saneem of receiving an unlawful benefit means that he doesn’t have a reputation to defend. But litigation is famously a lottery in which judgments can go either way. And Tabuakuro’s big mouth could easily mean a lifetime of wearing the same fashion pieces if Dobby can persuade the judge to see things his way.
The Assistant DPP seems to think that she is a protected species within the criminal justice system presided over by the likes of drunken Nancy, the Crooning Stallion, John Rabuku, and their patron, the rogue Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, and can do whatever she likes. But that confidence is about to be tested.
Certainly Nancy and John needed this defamation suit like a hole in the head. Already under scrutiny with rumoured adverse findings in the COI Report plus their unfounded allegations of financial misconduct against Christopher Pryde, the internal workings of the ODPP in Pryde’s absence are about to get more publicity in the Saneem defamation case just when they desperately needed a period of calm.
For that, they won’t be thanking their protege, Tabuakuro, who has returned their favour of giving her a permanent job by attracting a fresh blowtorch capable of searing all their reputations. Silly girl.
I am no fan of these two. I look at the deeper cause that all arms of the government are irrevocably broken. And it begs a question of whether these issues have now met the threshold for Army to intervene as guardians of the constitution. They are lawfully mandated to act. The question is how much more do the people have to suffer when those in high places run amuck.
They’re all the bloody same. Should just put them all one of those ships in the harbor, tow it out to sea and sink it.
I see your pal, the Smiling Assassin, is back in the saddle. Why do they keep recycling garbage?
Laisani – your behavior is totally unprofessional and unbecoming of a legal professional, if indeed you are a “legal professional”. Resorting to foul language to undermine the character of others shows that you are a very weak person in not handling them properly. Grow up, lady. If you won’t defeat Saneem in his lawsuit, then you may be branded as “lamusona” as well.
Feel sorry for Laisani as a lawyer on probation at the Office of the DPP and being promoted overnight to a permanent position showed us clearly that she might be favored by the goons at the helm of the hierarchy at that office.
That office needs to be cleared. When a crooning stallion heads a high office of the state we can see for ourselves what has happened since he himself is undecided of his nature.
She is a strong itaukei woman that will bring down all these incompetent lawyers. Lamusona are all you sideline critics – let’s meet face to face to discuss?
It will be peaceful and professional 😉
Seti seti, ulu kau………go to the mango tree and have some homebrew…..
Isn’t there anyone within the ODPP who can hold Laisani Tabuakoro accountable for her foul and unprofessional conduct?
It appears she consistently insults others without facing any disciplinary consequences. This raises serious concerns about internal oversight and the possibility that someone high up the ranks is shielding her—or worse, enabling her behavior.
Such conduct is entirely incompatible with the standards of professionalism, impartiality, and ethics expected in any Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
One must also ask: Is Ms. Tabuakoro even qualified to hold a position of such responsibility?
Reportedly, she was terminated by the substantive Director of Public Prosecutions. An immediate inquiry is warranted into how she was reinstated into the office. The public deserves transparency and accountability from an institution tasked with upholding justice.
What people seem to forget about Fiji and the current behaviour of all those in high office is that this is iTaukei land.
These people are exercising their God- given right and their entitlement……… to be stupid in their own country.
That is the undercurrent of everything that is happening, starting from the PM and the President.
And that is exactly what a large proportion of the population want as well. If that is what is required to keep the vulagi at bay then so be it.
One should look at things from their point of view. All the banter and jumping up and down by people will not make any difference.
Bai and Kai failed miserably. They took the wrong approach.
This is a super idiotic comment of the highest idiotic order. To suggest that such uncivilized behavior of Laisani and like minded can be forgotten by their so called low level presumption that “they can do anything because it’s their land” is laughable. They, you and anyone with same mindset can’t escape justice ultimately.
Bhaiya Jungle Law
The current mob are making their own laws as they go. Why do you think they are doing this with impunity?
Doesn’t justify Laisani’s unprofessional behavior though.
The legal threshold to prove defamation is quite a high one and so based on the particulars of the claim, I don’t know if meeting the threshold has been met.
Defamation aside, Laisani Tabuakuro should not be making such comments on anyone, let alone someone her Office is prosecuting in a Court of law. It is highly unethical and and could be grounds for recusal from prosecuting a case against Mohammed Saneem – that’s if she is handling that case. Her actions comes off as unhinged and unprofessional. If she isn’t handling Saneem’s case, then she should not be allowed to enter an appearance on behalf of the state on Saneem’s case. Period!
It’s a pity that she feels the need to use social media platforms to attack people and one need only to glance briefly at the Code of Conduct for the ODPP available on their website to see the many breaches that she may have made in relation to the particulars of the claim in the Writ action by Saneem. For whatever reason, she felt compelled to make such scathing remarks, she must know, she is no ordinary Mere on the street, but a Public Official and that actions she takes in an out of her office is a reflection of the Office that she’s employed by.
Is Nancy Tikoisuva going to allow this to continue? Her leadership will be judged by the standards that she upholds and the things that she allows to happen in and out of her office regarding her officers, she cannot be allowed to remain complicit to this glaring unprofessional public outbursts.
She sure ain’t no mere from the street but she’s sure acting like dimere from the roundabout..
Saneem is professional. He’ll make them lick their wound just wait and watch.