Attorney General, Siromi Turaga says he is being unfairly criticised for being a Good Samaritan and stepping in to help a vulnerable and depressed young man in a personal capacity.
While some social media posts are criticising Turaga for paying the $1,500 as restitution after a man pleaded guilty to theft in court, the Attorney General says he did not interfere in the legal process in any way.
Turaga stresses he assisted the man in a personal capacity and not as the Attorney General.
He says he assisted a desperate young man separated from his wife and child, to pay the value of the TV he had stolen, as a restitution in court, to spare him from going to prison.
Turaga says this man was raised by his grandmother as his parents had parted and moved on with their respective lives.
He also says the man’s education level is limited, he did not go to secondary school and had a car accident which has affected his hearing.
Turaga says the man has also moved from one family to a another in Veisari.
He says his license had expired and as a matter of absolute necessity, he had to renew it to maintain the livelihood of his young family. He then stole a TV with another to pay for the renewal of the license.
Turaga says the man could go to jail because he has no money and was deeply troubled about the welfare of his wife and children.
Turaga says the man was traumatized and virtually crying for help when he met him.
He says he did not have time to make the payment in the court registry due to his busy schedule so he got his Personal Staff Officer to go and make the payment.
Turaga also says the man was charged for theft, not robbery.
He says the principle of law for theft is restitution.
The Attorney General says this would definitely save a custodial sentence and invite a suspended sentence.
Meanwhile FijiFirst MP, Faiyaz Koya posted on the party’s facebook page saying the Attorney General cannot act and cannot be seen to be acting in any personal capacity when he intervenes in such judicial matters.
Koya says Turaga is the chief legal advisor to Government and is also the Minister for Justice.
He says Turaga must at all times remain independent, he cannot choose when he will be the Attorney General and Minister for Justice and when he will not be.
Koya also asks why is he making restitution on behalf of an accused person and why is he using a civil servant, his Personal Staff Officer to make such representations in court. However Turaga says he acting in his personal capacity and Koya is getting irrelevant.
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