In February 2008, Womens Activist and Media Editor were summoned by illegal appeals court. This is our opinion on what happened.
Three Appeals Court judges, Justice Nazhat Shameem, Justice Jocelyn Scutt and Justice Daniel Gounder summoned and spoke to Virisila Buadromo and Leone Cabenatabua in open court in the presence of their lawyers, Richard Naidu and Suruj Sharma.
Justice Shameem highlighted four main issues that they do not agree with in today's Fiji Sun article, the first being that the recent appointment of the judges to the Appeals Court is illegal, 2nd that the latest appointments were made by the military, 3rd that the interim government was handpicking judges and 4th that Justice Scutt publicly supported the Fiji Human Rights Commission Elections report.
Justice Shameem highlighted that the AG's chambers and the judges who were appointed to the Appeals Court disagree with these four main issues that was published in the Fiji Sun quoting FWRM's Virisila Buadromo. She also said that its news to them that they were "handpicked" and stressed that the contents in the report were false and misleading.
Richard Naidu (buadromos lawyer) then asked Justice Shameem to explain whether this was a formal court proceeding or they were in the court room for a chat. He kept questioning what was going on and whether it was a formal court proceeding.
Outside court, Buadromo's lawyer, Richard Naidu maintained that he is not sure what kind of proceeding was held in court. He has asked for a transcript of whatever transpired in court today and will go through it and comment later.