Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the decision on John Rabuku’s tenure as Acting Director of Public Prosecutions rests with the Judicial Services Commission and hinges on personal integrity and professional attitude.
His comments are in response to Rabuku’s insistence on retaining his position despite a recent Supreme Court decision that ruled him ineligible for the role and calls from key legal authorities for his resignation.
“Cabinet has no say in that. The cabinet put forward a question to the Supreme Court. That has been answered by the Supreme Court. Now it is up to the appointing authority … to make the decision on his future,” Rabuka said.
“But as the AG had mentioned, it also depends on the personal integrity and professional attitude of the office holder to see that he does not have the confidence of the supreme legal authority in the judicial side of the separation of powers, and perhaps for the future of his profession in the legal sphere. He should take that as good advice. He has that option, he can do a personal one or await the executive direction from the legal services commission.”
The Attorney General, Graham Leung, and Fiji Law Society President Wylie Clarke both urged Rabuku to step down. They pointed out that his insistence on remaining in office undermines judicial authority and governance principles.
Rabuku, who assumed the acting DPP role following the suspension of Christopher Pryde and the subsequent passing of Acting DPP Ratu David Toganivalu, maintains his stance pending formal communication from the JSC or Cabinet.
