Fiji's public prosecutor has criticised a government minister's comments that she will ensure severe sentences are meted out by the courts as inappropriate and a possible breach of the constitution.
The Minister for Women and Children, Rosy Akbar, was yesterday quoted by FBC saying she was disgusted by rape cases and wanted severe sentences and would ensure that they were meted out by the courts.
In a statement, the public prosecutor's office says sentencing is a judicial fuction undertaken carefully by the courts to reflect the seriousness of offending and various other factors in each individual case.
The office says the minister is to be reminded that it is the director of public prosecutions alone who can initiate prosecutions and the office will not tolerate any interference in this process by any government minister.
