A group of lawyers in Fiji are preparing a petition for President Iloilo calling for the reinstatement of the suspended chief justice, Daniel Fatiaki.
Radio Legend reports that the lawyers are calling for the resignation of the acting chief justice, Anthony Gates.
The vice president of the Fiji Law Society, Tupou Draunidalo, says she'll sign the petition and encourage other lawyers to do the same as they have opposed the appointment of Justice Gates from the start.
The president of the Fiji Indigenous Lawyers Association, Samuela Matawalu, says Justice Gates' position has become untenable after this week's Appeal Court ruling in the Ratu Inoke Takiveikata case.
The Appeal Court overturned Takiveikata's conviction because of what the appellate judges said was Justice Gates' perceived bias when he convicted and sentenced Takiveikata to life in 2004.
Prominent Suva lawyer Hemendra Nagin has confirmed they are preparing a petition as they are concerned that Justice Fatiaki has been suspended for six months without any investigations being conducted against him.
The lawyers hope that over 200 colleagues will sign the petition before it is delivered to the president.
