22 Sep 2007

Fiji's President appoints tribunal for suspended chief Justice

9:58 am on 22 September 2007

Fiji's president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, has appointed a tribunal to hear allegations against the suspended chief justice, Daniel Fatiaki.

The interim attorney general says the names of the tribunal will be made public as soon as the chairman sets a hearing date.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says a number of individuals and lobby groups have tried and are trying to derail the independent process that has been put in place in the name of the independence of the judiciary.

He says that independence is more likely to be preserved if the tribunal is allowed to carry on its work unfettered and expeditiously.

Members of the tribunal have been given their appointment letters and a counsel has also been appointed to assist the tribunal.

The lawyer for Mr Fatiaki had earlier said he had been instructed by his client to begin legal action against the tribunal as soon as its members were named.