The Director of Public Prosecutions, Christopher Pryde – who has been suspended for the past 20 months – has been found “not guilty” of misbehaviour by the Tribunal judges investigating him led by Justice Anare Tuilevuka.
According to an impeccable legal source, the tribunal members formally handed their finding to the President, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, at 3.30 PM on Monday December 23 in compliance with the deadline set by his predecessor.
But almost seven days later, where is the public announcement of the Tribunal’s findings, which the Constitution specifically stipulates? And why is the government keeping it secret?
We can only suspect that there is grave consternation behind the scenes, which may also account for the sudden confirmation of Salesi Temo as substantive Chief Justice the following day, Christmas Eve.
It is Temo – as head of the Judicial Services Commission – who has presided over Christopher Pryde’s suspension, the setting up of the Tribunal to hear the charges against him, the unlawful severance of his salary six months ago that deprived him of the means to adequately defend himself and the astonishing defamation of his character when Temo branded him as thief at the Tribunal hearing.
Salesi Temo now not only has egg all over his face but just as gravely, faces the prospect of being sued by Christopher Pryde for defamation. Because far from stealing from the Fijian people – as Temo alleged – the DPP had his superannuation entitlements incorporated in two contracts signed by successive heads of state.
The shoe is now firmly on the other foot. Salesi Temo is in very deep trouble indeed. Were he still Acting Chief Justice, there would have been demands for his own suspension and a charge of misbehaviour laid against him. Did the Prime Minister confirm him in the substantive position to make it harder to dislodge him?
The Constitution stipulates that if the DPP is exonerated of the charge of misbehaviour, the President must reinstate him. But almost a week later, Ratu Naiqama is sitting on the Tribunal findings, which is a gross violation of the supreme law and leaves him also open to a charge of misbehaviour.
Grubsheet is now directing the following questions to the President, the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and the Chief Justice. And the Fijian mainstream media should do the same.
1/ What is the precise recommendation from the Pryde Tribunal in relation to the DPP?
2/ Almost a week after it was handed to the President, why has there been no public announcement, as the Constitution stipulates?
3/ Why hasn’t the DPP had his suspension lifted, as the Constitution prescribes?
4/ When can the Fijian people expect you to fulfil your duty to reinstate Christopher Pryde to his rightful position?
This has been an astonishing saga (let’s call it what it really is – a scandal) in which Christopher Pryde has been wrongly suspended, subject to public ignominy and loss of income, and suffered an extraordinary denial of natural justice.
Even now, almost a week after the Tribunal judges reported their findings against him, he still hasn’t been informed of his fate.
It is surely one of the most shameful episodes in Fijian judicial history. Justice delayed – goes one of the oldest sayings in the law – is justice denied. And almost two years on, Christopher Pryde is still being denied justice.
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What should happen under Section 112 of the Constitution. It is being flagrantly disregarded.
NOTE:
For our previous stories and the full background to this scandal, just type “Christopher Pryde” into the Grubsheet search engine on the right.
It all makes sense as to why Temo was very quickly sworn in on Dec 24. This is a cabal that has no moral compass whatsoever. The swiftness with which his swearing in was done shows Fiji that the judicial system has failed. I sincerely hope that Pryde sues Temo and the government for every last cent he can get.
Congratulations to Mr Pryde, but now comes the inevitable delay in reinstating him and getting his suspended remuneration paid to him.
Those in power will drag this out in an effort to keep punishing him, because they lost face, because of the process and the fact that they were the guilty ones. Temo should be removed from his new position to show that his unprofessional conduct since this whole sorry saga started, bars him from ruling over the Judiciary.
He is not fit for any position of officer of the Court and is a disgrace to the Country.
Unfortunately, I feel that rather than Mr Pryde ‘keeping calm and carrying on’ he will be subjected to ‘hurry up and wait’
Sue the arse off him !
The silence is deafening.
Pryde can actually walk into his office and resume his duties if this is indeed the case.
A lot of people are probably shaking in their underwear right now because Pryde won’t be letting these corrupt bastards, particularly the ones in his office go Scot free…
It is a consututional requirement to release the report publicly . Hopefully one of your many sources gives you a copy to upload Graham as it is unlikley this lot will abide by the constitution. I damn well hope that Pryde sues the bang lot of them starting with Temo!
In a nutshell the findings of the Tribunal:
1. The allegations against Pryde are not made out.
2. He ought not to be removed.
Rabuka was never against TEMO the SWINE’s appointment, he was 100% behind it. Winter J’s name came up as a smokescreen to throw everyone off – the real intention was to quietly get this PIG sworn in.
Although Pryde has been exonerated these imbeciles will not bring him back.
Their Xmas was ruined and they have used the last several days contemplating what they will do next. The whole lot of them need to go starting from the fu#kwit right at the top – the rapist President.
The rush to confirm Temo gets to show that COC is also compromised as they would have had prior information of the outcome.every appointment so far under this government has its own colourful past and it is interesting to note the change that they promised is coming to light very quickly.Isa Viti.
Welcome to the changed Fiji Folks. We are the new Somalia of the Pacific.
From pornstar minister to a PM who committed treason to a pedophile president.
We love harping on about how good we are, how much progress we’ve made. Nice reminder to those who may want to come and work here or open a business. There’s one law for everybody here and no law for the coalition asskissers.
What will happen to the donkey Rabuku?
Rabuka has truly created a banana republic now.
This is Fiji. Nothing will happen to reprimand or sack any one. What is probably happening now, is to protect those responsible and work out an acceptable amount of taxpayer’s fund to make this problem go away before they are sued. No lessons will be learned from this.
Where’s Lice? Why isn’t the tribunal proceedings making it to ABC, RNZ and BBC? Where’s Dick Naidu and Wiley Coyote? When will Stanley “Homer” Simpson make coverage of this-possibly after he’s got a chance from putting cryptic social media posts and sucking up to Steve “The Snake” Rambo (in case people missed the glossy cover of the Snakehead on Homer’s new magazine. Where’s VJ Narayan? Possibly being a VJ would suit him better than being the news head of the largest media outlet in the PICs!! And finally where is Sashi Singh TP (SSTP)? They wiped their arses with SS branded TP!!
Media Freedom, so long as it fits your narrative.
This lack of effort by the mainstream media is the reason for the rise of social media in Fiji. The Media Act blames-game was just a farce. At least it meant that there was research and evidence before the media put things out. There was a standard purported in the legislation. This self-regulated media is a farce. Propaganda at the best.
The Fijian public deserve better.
What the actual f**k is this government doing!
We are tired of their corruption and nonsense, one after another. When will this shit show stop, Rabuka?
This government is out of control and out of touch. They need to vacate the parliament asap. I am done wasting my vote on Fijian wannabe politicians hiding under a blanket of corruption.
Reinstate the honoured DPP now. Kick the f**k out with Temo and his goons.
Rabuku, Rabuka’s nephew, must be shitting himself alright.
The game is on.
The tables have turned.
Thank you Grubsheet for standing true and enlightening us with this case. Without you the people of Fiji will continue to live in the dark under the useless media there. You have spoken the facts that no one else did. Vinaka.
This case serves as a good case study for all legal scholars around the world. Fiji should be ashamed of treating their DPP like this.
GD. There’s a whole lot of maneuvering going re. Christopher Pryde. Meanwhile baritone buka has bolted off to the north with the chinese embassy guys to “inspect” roads that they could fund….what the f**k?? The flooding and evacuated families are in the west of the country…not in the frigging north. This qase idiot has completely lost the plot. He doesn’t even care about the optics anymore!
Meanwhile..another very interesting development..ficac/ milamila has come out with a statement that says seruiratu is wrong about the ficac/ Lynda investigation. Milamila says the issue about Lynda not supposedly declaring her husband’s income and business affiliations was investigated from the 24th of April this year and it was then found that she had divorced her husband in December 2016. Milamila then says pulewai who was then acting ficac commissioner formally closed the file in 12th August 2024. And the elections supervisor was then formally informed of the file closure almost 40 days later on the 20th of September 2024 supposedly by milamila!!
Milamila says the investigation and subsequent closure of file took place during pulewais tenure and had nothing to do with milamila.
So why was the SOE informed of the closure almost 40 days after the closure? Who signed the letter that was sent to the SOE? How was it determined that Lynda had indeed divorced her husband years earlier? What proof/evidence was offered for this by Lynda or her husband? Why was Lynda still referring to Rob seaman as her spouse in official documents in 2023? These docs are widely available on social media. Why did ficac not pick this anomaly?
How is it that the public is privy to these anomalies and ficac isn’t? Why isn’t the media asking these and other related questions? Meanwhile to muddy the waters further pulewai today gave an interview to fbc news in which fbc confused all of us even more by saying that pulewai had closed the lynda file….but had not closed the lynda file!!!. How the f**k can she do both?
And fbc news in true form ran with this confusing story without asking any follow up questions to clarify the situation. So as usual all of fiji is confused. Our very own biden/ rambling buka runs off the north probably thinking its the west. Lynda calls it gender violence when it’s not.
The pedo president is sitting on the report when he should have released it to the public by now. A thug has been made the CJ and possible future president on the eve of Xmas. Barbara is busy damage controlling to cover her very vast backside. And pulewai is making contradictory statements with the assistance of fiji’s compromised and inept media industry….ho ho ho…merry Xmas and sad new year for fiji and all fijians.
Where is the Commander of the RFMF?
Isn’t he suppose to ensure the constitution is upheld? Outright breach of the constitution is being practised by the current government. I wonder if he is visiting the villages and hugging ethno nationalist past coup makers. He may say nobody complained to him. Or is he protecting his own position?
Meanwhile back at the farm….
https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Family-members-in-agony-and-hopes-justice-will-be-served-rf4x58/
https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Lovu-residents-live-in-fear-as-community-becomes-a-hotspot-for-robberies-and-break-ins-5x4r8f/
No one cares anymore.
@ Just Fijian
So are you asking for a coup?
You want a bunch of unfit and half-educated m goons to solve Fiji’s problems?
I am so glad to hear that Pryde has been found innocent; therefore, he should be reinstated immediately. It was all Rabuka’s plan to appoint a criminal to the post of President and a racist to be the Chief Justice in a rush.
Pryde should file a defamation case against the Fiji Government and sue for millions from this corrupt government. I don’t think the majority of Fijians care about the misgivings and corrupt practices of this idiotic government.
When will Rambo concede he is being racist as the PM. Of course, he is doing all this with help from Baimaan and Shashi. These people will go in the history of Indo fijians as being worst traitors of the community. Now Shashi will continue on the legacy of Linda T. I wonder who is more bushy. We just have to be patient and all will be revealed soon (the continuation of the legacy will be exposed). She is most qualified because she hasn’t got a child. She knows a lot about child protection.
Fiji politics has reached the gutter level. The coalition arskissers are benefitting and enjoying. It is the poor and hard working iTaukei and vulagi that are suffering.
The last I looked, the poor people of the West are struggling to keep afloat given the weather there. If the government put some thought to it and improved the drainage issues then perhaps these families would have had christmas at home and the impending new years.
While they are suffering, our inept PM choses to go on a tour of the north with his Chinese promise of funds!!!
Please get back to where you should be, deal and support the victims of the floods and at the same time let the electorate know what is going on with CP’s exoneration.
Rabuka doesn’t care about the people. All he cares for is himself and his cronies in government. While he’s fluffing around with Mr Chowmein and begging for money for his provincial area, people in the West are struggling to keep their heads above water.
He’s a conman and a disgrace to the people of Fiji.
The sooner he goes the better off Fiji will be.
@Uluiqalau,
you are totally wrong with your assumption.
Under the 2013 Constitution of the Republic of Fiji, the RFMF is mandated to be the guardian of Fiji carrying out the mandate of the people through our National Administration.
RFMF shall remain as the custodian of Fiji’s constitution. Commander is not supposed to be hugging and kissing his coup making cousins & friends.
He should step in if the people like president, JC or PM is in breach of the constitution. The 2013 constitution has that power with him to avoid military coups.
If he is uneducated or unfit then he should quit and let some one capable to do the job.
Did you not see what he has been doing last few months with the convicts on the name of reconciliation.
@ Just Fijian
What precisely do you want the Commander RFMF to do? Intervene to overturn the current administration?
Military intervention in politics aimed at changing the political.leadership is a coup !
Be careful what you wish for.
Bloody hell !
Kaivitis fighting like dogs 🐕 in streets.
Some are thinking they are the law.
Police is no where to be seen.
People spitting on others faces.
Calling Indians maigachina;,,mu kaindia.
Grabbing cash from businesses and people on streets.
What a country it has turned into.
A country where lawlessness is thriving.
This is new Fiji.
These same ma%gaichinana$ kaindias has made Fiji what it looks like today.
If it wasn’t for them we would have been the worst Pacific country in this region.
After all we have just come out of cannibalism anyway and some are showing the DNA on streets.
The country has come to its knees with these hooligans.
People have lost trust in the PM, CJ and the law.
I hope Pryde drags Tikoduadua (who was also illegally appointed) and shite Rabuka through the sewers of Fiji. Their name should be so tainted and banished from practicing anywhere else. Same for Siromi and Fiji. I hope he kicks Malimali and Richard out too.
Pryde holds the cards now. Let the wise and experienced teach the pigs how to play the game.
The Pedo President still decoding what actually happened.
They must all go to prison for this.
Thugs.
Poor Pryde showed that there is virtue in patience.
Will the irrelevant Shame-mi-ma, Deo, Naidu, and others want to comment now so they can remain important? Where are they?
Hurry before you all lose the chance to your advancing career of self destruction political powers.
That’s a welcome news! We now await an announcement from the president. The longer he delays, the more likely it is that something is cooking against the reinstatement of Pryde.
However, the president doesn’t have any power to change the verdict? But he may come up with some stupid reason not to reinstate Pryde as DPP.
Naiqama, Temo, and Rabuka are capable of doing anything.
The Fiji Law Society and the people of Fiji must put on the pressure. The lame media is, as usual, quiet on this, so not much is expected from the so-called free media.
Yes, as I write this reply a day later at nearly 1000 Monday, nothing in the mainstream media. The new “freedom” is the freedom to be compliant and supine.
Justice must not only be done but seen to be done.
Make the announcements you crackers and bunch of old farts. No amount of collective ball scratching should further delay the inevitable. The old, senile, and criminal farts need to understand the decision will eventually be leaked.
Fiji media, NGOs and law society will remain only focused on self-interest, self promotion, and self praise.
The jungle law and the biased and unethical media in Fiji on full display here.
Just been to twitter, some of the so called journalists in Fiji…you should be ashamed of yourself.
@ Daniel Richards,
You are correct “However, the president doesn’t have any power to change the verdict? But he may come up with some stupid reason not to reinstate Pryde as DPP.”
Now the situation is breach of constitution. The constitution says ‘RFMF shall remain as the custodian of Fiji’s constitution’. The commander needs to show his true commitment to the country. It does not mean to carry out a coup. It is about preventing a coup by pulling the elected people back in alignment to manage the National Administration according to the 2013 constitution.
They can not put the cart before the horse. The 2013 constitution still has to be followed. In future, if and when, the constitution is changed then they can do whatever is allowed then. They can have merry x-mas everyday, that will be allowed if it is the new constitution.
The onus is on the military commander to see the 2013 Constitution is upheld!
You have to wonder whether Christopher Pryde would want to return to Fiji after the way he has been treated?
Hopefully the lesson has been learned – for reasons that should be blindingly obvious – the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions must remain independent.
Attempts to interfere with the DPP have been going on since Independence. It’s one of those defining points on the state of the nation, as have been the four coups, the fourth of which gave birth to the latest constitution providing problematic immunity for coupsters an opportunity for the military to intervene in matters of state.
Hopefully his reinstatement will herald the return of commonsense in these matters and acceptance of the key message that political partisanship in the offices of state is bad for the country. So too must people accept as essential the separation of powers (judiciary, executive and legislature) along with separation of the realms of state, church and hereditary responsibilities.
‘Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s’. (Matthew)
I genuinely hope that Chris will not give into the demands of this Government and in particular, Temo, and choose to resign now that he has been exonerated. If that happens, all hope is lost for those of us who are counting of Chris to keep fighting and resume office.
Does he need to be officially reinstated, or can he simply turn up and resume tomorrow or Jan 2?
If it were me I’d be tempted to just rock up with that famous sign!
His suspension needs to be formally lifted by the President and the President needs to tell the rest of us what the Tribunal found.
Then he can go back into Gunu House carrying his “Keep calm and carry on” sign.
That is the L-A-W but of course, in Fiji now, the law isn’t necessarily followed. And in this regard, the Coalition is no better than FijiFirst.
Thanks for the clarification. The Coalition don’t care for the law, but will apply it when it suits them. I’m guessing they are biding their time over the holiday period desperately assessing their options (or fabricating an option).
It is really hard to make sense of what Rabuka is doing during this time of a season of crisis.
1. A TD passed between the two main islands. There’s people stuck in evacuation centres. And he’s inspecting roads in his province?
2. He’s pledged $1,000,000 to assist Vanuatu after the recent earthquake. That’s great, but, where’s the help that the flood victims need right now from their government to get their life back on track for 2025?
3. Why isn’t he showing leadership by getting the Tribunals report on the DPP to be released so the tax payers of Fiji can know what, and who, was the scape goat on this 20 months witch hunt.
4. He does not look the role, neither is he playing it either. He is a lame PM just fumbling and mumbling his way through on a daily basis.
Yes, there is no law, as it should be in Fiji now given the open brutal brawls happening and the lack of any police presence. One can only guess what more carnage Rabuka and his cronies will cause in 2025.
Indeed, may God help Fiji. 🙏🏽
I hope the Law Society (dead as anyway) develop a spine and start voicing this asap. Otherwise they should stop existing.
Pryde must be reinstated now.
Graham, you know as well as everyone, it means nothing. There is no rule of the law in Fiji. They do as they wish. Pryde should return home and sue the hell out of them.
And nothing from our free media? Shocker. I guess “free” means free to publish or not publish based on their own preferences and biases. One can argue this is true of most media, especially those owned by billionaire oligarchs (eg Murdoch, Bezos). But in a country as small as ours, we really have very few options. Increasingly, mainstream media will become irrelevant, with more reliance by the public on “truth tellers” on social media. But then social media is also controlled by the oligarch class (ie Musk, Zuckerberg)and their algorithms and censorship. The future looks bleak for the average Joe certainly, nevertheless, “without fear or favour” the Fiji media got their freedom and now have no fear, however, favouritism towards the Coalition Government and other favourites is rampant.
Come on you hopeless bunch at FICAC, PM and judiciary included…..LT declared that Rob is her spouse and he falsely declared that he’s fiji born. What more do you need ( I wouldn’t use the language that comes to mind in case minors are reading it).
Show some gall, address the issue for what it is and let the populous make their mind up.