Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Former Court of Appeal judge in Fiji calls for AG’s dismissal

Posted at 22:40 on 18 September, 2012 UTC

A former Court of Appeal judge in Fiji has called for the dismissal of the interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

The judge William Marshall who finished a two year contract this year also says there is no longer judicial independence in the country.

Sally Round reports.

“William Marshall made the criticisms on a website he says he was compelled to set up because of censorship in Fiji. William Marshall, a former senior QC in Hong Kong, is understood to have left Fiji after his contract ended mid way through the year. He says judges no longer do their duty and do not serve the people of Fiji, instead he says they do what the Attorney-General would wish them to do and in many cases this is specifically explained to them. William Marshall says Fijians are being cheated and deprived of justice and he says the tipping point for him was in April when it became known his contract would not be renewed. He has also revealed he petitioned regime leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama in June with his concerns. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum was not immediately available for comment.”