There are genuinely shocking disclosures in leaked correspondence Grubsheet publishes today from the President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, to Justice Anare Tuilevuka, the Chair of the Tribunal investigating the allegations of misbehaviour against the suspended DPP, Christopher Pryde.
Firstly, the Pryde case – which was meant to conclude on Monday (September 23) – has now been pushed back an additional three months to December 23, two days before Christmas. It is yet another astonishing delay that underlines the gross dysfunction in the criminal justice system in Fiji.
Christopher Pryde was suspended in April 2023. It wasn’t until March this year that a Tribunal of three judges was appointed to rule on the allegations against him. And now it will be the end of the year before they are required to do so, an astonishing 18 months since Pryde was suspended.
The old saying that justice delayed is justice denied has never been more true than in Fiji. Yet the sheer vindictiveness of the system is what is genuinely shocking – including the way in which Christopher Pryde’s salary was unlawfully suspended in July, leaving him with no means to defend himself.
Kicking the case against him forward until Christmas means that he will have been without any money to pay for his defence for five months. It is an unforgivable denial of natural justice by a government and its handpicked Acting Chief Justice that seem determined to send the DPP broke so that this case never makes it to a hearing at all. Bad Santa’s Christmas present to the Pryde family and the rest of us.
The State still won’t conclude its evidence. Affidavits to support the allegations are still coming in. And the inordinate delay suggests one thing to anyone with an understanding of how things work. That the State doesn’t yet have the evidence it needs to nail Christopher Pryde and is desperate to avoid a situation in which he is cleared and reinstated.
Worse, we now have the extraordinary prospect that in the absence of hard evidence, the Tribunal is going to ask certain people what they think should happen. This portion of the letter is genuinely chilling.
What on earth does this mean? Judges are meant to rule on the evidence before them. It is unheard of for them to “invite opinions”. And especially from “selected stakeholders”. Who are these people? Christopher Pryde’s tormentors? Sitiveni Rabuka, Graham Leung, Siromi Turaga, Salesi Temo?
Is it the Fiji Law Society, which has been scandalously silent as the State subjects Christopher Pryde to the equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition or one of Stalin’s purges? Since when has anyone’s “opinion” mattered in a court of law when judges are meant to rule on the evidence before them and acquit if there is insufficient evidence to convict?
This one sentence is highly alarming to anyone who believes in the rule of law. Because “I think he is guilty” clearly doesn’t mean someone IS guilty. And if this is the way the judicial system is going to operate in Fiji then we are on the slippery slope to the kind of “justice” inflicted by the Nazis or the Soviets – show trials in which verdicts have already been determined and the courts just rubber stamp them.
This is a letter that should make all Fijians afraid. Very afraid. Because if unnamed “selected stakeholders” are to tell judges what verdicts they should reach, the rule of law as we know it – which is already frayed – has gone altogether. We are in a dystopian hellhole in which “justice” is a sham.
This whole sorry saga is starting to suggest one thing. That the Coalition intends to nail Christopher Pryde irrespective of the evidence against him. And it is sending him broke by unlawfully suspending his salary in the hope that he will simply be unable to continue and walk away.
FijiFirst did the same thing to Sharvada Sharma when it defied the Constitution and summarily dismissed the former solicitor general. The Coalition promised to be different but it is not. It is the justice of the stitch-up, the power of the state deployed against the powerless. And it is just plain wrong.
What kind of Prime Minister do we have who publicly says that Christopher Pryde’s salary should not have been suspended and close to three months on, still hasn’t been able to use his influence to restore it and give the DPP the means to defend himself?
Sitiveni Rabuka and his Attorney General, Graham Leung, could conclude this case today by reaching a financial settlement with Christopher Pryde that reflects the gravity of what happened to him – removed for what appears to be political reasons and because he is white. Yet instead they appear intent on bleeding him dry and destroying him on the say so of “selected stakeholders”.
With this letter coming hot on the heels of the Coalition freeing George Speight and Shane Stevens after all the suffering they inflicted and pardoning the appalling “Mac” Patel, Grubsheet has never been more ashamed of the country my birth. We are to all intents and purposes a Banana Republic in which our institutions are crumbling.
God help us.
So much for the Prime Minister’s authority in the country. Or is it just one big act?
Why isn’t Graham Leung pressing the head of the Judicial Services Commission, Salesi Temo, to bring this fiasco to an end?
UPDATE THURS LATE MORNING:
Upheaval in the Prime Minister’s office as Pita Wise suddenly “resigns”, ostensibly for “personal reasons”. Few people believe it (the reason). If it was medical, they would have undoubtedly said so.
So why would he be removed? Wise is reported to have been actively white-anting Biman Prasad and also engaged in “Ugandan discussions “* in the office. So speculation is running hot.
Leave a comment if you know more.
That is what happens when you have a pre-determined outcome and then you work towards achieving that outcome. “You are innocent until proven guilty” does not apply to Fiji. Fiji is a special place, where they pracrice the ‘right’ form of Christianity. The rest of the world do not understand how it should be practiced. Just ask them, if you do not believe me.
when you have a pre-determined outcome, this is what happens. An unashamed circus in the judiciary. The monkeys are on the loose. Once you hace a corrupt and incompetent judiciary, the country will go to the dogs.
Hardly a suprise coming from the presidential teletubby.
If he’s daft enough to pen his signature on the documents to pardon Mac Patel, then signing off this letter without understanding it isn’t something unnatural.
The obese presidential cowpoo is in the same gang as SLR, Leung, Temo and Turaga. He’s busy lapping up the cream and enjoying all the government funded (taxpayer dollars!) freebies.
What’s equally saddening is that we all though Leung was brought in to be the “new broom” but in actual fact was brought in to legitimise every illegal action of these corrupt sods.
It’s a pity the military is being run by a literal eunuch because a real commander would never have allowed this flagrant abuse and rape of the constitution to continue.
A real commander would have taken control of the situation and protected the constitution before it got this bad.
If we thought PNGs government corruption was bad, Fiji is doing everything to beat PNG at it and establish itself as the best corrupt nation in the Pacific.
Bula!
@ Fjord
Do you really want the Commander RFMF to allow his Goon Squad to uphold the illegal 2013 Constitution that was foisted upon the people of Fiji ?
Be careful what you wish for.
Yes, we wouldn’t want a common and equal citizenry and a common identity would we?
We will keep that in the new Constitution so dont fret
What new constitution? Did you get the 75% approvals from the people of Fiji and the mandate from the majority of the politicians?
We obviously all missed this news – share the article links here so we can all read about it too and believe you.
At the moment you seem to be in the same fairyland as Rabuka and Turaga who believe they can just go to court and get a biased ruling from their grumpy farty CJ
Hang on wacolo aman, the goon squad? But everyone hated JVB’s group as the goons.
SLR had the original goon squad 1987. How about the goons of 2000? The mutiny goon squad?
Do you see, wacolo man, the common demonitor in all the goon squads?
itaukei + military = goons. Bully, beat, kick, terrorize, brutalize, unarmed, weak and defenseless people.
And the natives roar with laughter and gaiety. Such wonderful loving christians.
Sobo Wacol, you say the 2013 Constitution is illegal but the Commander in today’s Fiji Village news acknowledges it.
“The Commander says the Mercy Commission has followed due process under the 2013 Constitution.”
Our leaders are violating the supreme law but given the stink power they have, no one will be charged for it. Viti Vou!
These guys are being pressured by the Chinese. All the hallmarks of this saga bleeds Chinese interference at the very top. There is hardly an alternative narrative that explains why these idiots are doing this to a Kiwi, a white man, and a very well respected and educated one too. I’m not surprised anymore. Yes, call it conspiracies of the lowest or highest order, it doesn’t matter. This government is rotten to the core, led by a spineless and incompetent PM who doesn’t know what his cabinet of cronies are doing. But more seriously, he is condoning their actions by not taking action. Yes, Fiji is indeed a full functioning banana republic. Court’s rule on evidence, not opinions of some bureaucrats. Shame on this government! What a spineless President as well.
All I can add is ling ling is holding a big fa*t in- if he don’t let go soon, his face gonna ‘splode.
SLR and teletubby are not spineless. Let’s not malign poor jellyfish. Both are however, full of bull manure. OK, spineless too.
I am sure New Zealand and Australia are watching this closely.
Investors are anyway and some have reluctantly decided to take their investments away from Fiji. People had faith but that is deteriorating fast.
When the lawlessness is in news everyday and it is because of the leaders then Fiji has a huge identity problem. It is not going away shamefully.
The house is not in order and the backlash will be strong from the people who invest. Fiji is the new Mexico of the Pacific. Lawlessness, poverty, drugs, leaders running rogue.
Welcome vuvale. This is the change as absolutely expected under Rabuka and you are all welcome. Just a repeat of history. I am glad you get to taste a bit of that history that shows how the indigenous people are destroying their own country. There will be more. It is a typical Rabuka show.
They are a bunch of thugs and bullies. What can we expect from them. Read on about recent QVS bullying, FRU saga, bullying Christopher Pryde, the Indians, the saga of not sending ASK abroad for treatment. Everything is falling to pieces. More than worrying
Bula Graham, Christopher Pryde is now being subjected to ordinary people treatment. This is not new in Fiji. In fact it is the norm. I am still waiting for justice on my case against a construction company since 6 years ago. There have been many hurdles and humps and bumps, every excuse given by the judicial system and the statutory bodies that are handling the case. It is an absolute shame, but I can tell you, Its not new. CP is just getting a taste of it now.
Justice is a Sham
GD, you described it aptly Justice is a Sham in Fiji. It is highly compromised and run by incompetent people. Disgraceful, incompetent and pathetic.
Let’s look at how appointments to the judiciary and the ODPP made so hastily just after Coalition took office.
How quickly the Coalition government brought cases against the former prime minister with a pre-determined mind of sending him to jail.
We saw what happened. He was acquitted twice during the process, but the Coalition backed Acting Chief Justice over turned the acquittal judgment to conviction.
Not only this, but the former Prime Minister’s case was prosecuted by the illegally appointed Acting Director of Public Prosecution, who was declared an illegal appointee by the High Court. But now he is back in ODPP as Deputy DPP, appointed by hastly appointed current Acting DPP.
Coming back to Christopher Pryde’s case. This person gets suspended for talking to Aiyaz Saiyad Khaiyum, who was being tried for abuse of office charge. Is this really a legitimate ground to suspend a high officer of an independent body?
Siromi, then AG, who has now been stood down from AG position has proven his incompetence. He was the one who suspended Pryde by foxing Pryde to write to him admitting that he did have a conversation with Aiyaz at the Japanese Embassy reception.
The Coalition knew that with Pryde in post it would be hard to manipulate him to do things as the Coalition government wanted. So they found such petty excuse to suspend.
Over 15 months and the appointed tribunal to hear his case hasn’t done its work, and the latest revelation by GD indicates the President and the whole bang lot in Juduciary and government are a confused lot. I don’t think ODPP has any evidence on the nature of conversation between Khaiyum and Pryde or any evidence at all.
So the delaying tactics and cesation of payment of salary to Pryde is all to frustrate him.
The President is lame and we have a Prime Minister who is not effective. What he says doesn’t matter. There are many examples where he has made himself a fool. The AG and Minister for Justice are puppets and FICAC whose independence has been couldn’t charge Biman ( and perhaps others with available evidence).
One more thing to be researched is the connection among Graham, Malimali, Siromi,Filimoni, Richard Naidu, Wiley Clarke,Temo, Manoa and perhap others. Are they all acting in cohort and interpreting law as they want to and not how it should be.
The Fiji Law Society is toothless and only comments if it’s not about Coalition. I am sure we have very distinguished and upcoming lawyers in the country who can bring a change in the Law Society soon.
We must believe in fair trial and accused if found guilty of an offense must be must face the law.
But the question is where is the competence and independence of Judiciary and how the President is exercising his role under the constitution. He has now been reduced as a minister of Government.