25 May 2009

Fiji recruits a fifth judge - Justice John Byrne re-appointed

7:30 pm on 25 May 2009

The Fiji military led regime has reappointed another judge to the Fiji High Court more than six weeks after the judiciary had been sacked following the abrogation of the constitution.

The FijiLive website reports that John Byrne was sworn in by President Ratu Josefa Iloilo at 11am today.

Justice Byrne is the fourth judge to rejoin the Fiji judiciary after all judicial appointments had been revoked on April the 10th.

Last week, Justice Anthony Gates was sworn in as Chief Justice while Justices Davendra Pathik and Daniel Gounder were reappointed High Court judges.

A private lawyer Sosefa Inoke was also named High Court judge.

The Fiji High Court has now re-opened but the re-appointed Chief Justice has gone on leave for the week.