High Court Judge, Justice Thushara Rajasinghe has told Fiji Times lawyer, Wylie Clarke to provide USP Professor Paul Geraghty’s translation of the letter written by Josaia Waqabaca, to the prosecution before a decision is made on whether Geraghty can give evidence in the sedition trial.
Geraghty appeared as a witness for Fiji Times earlier today.
He confirmed that he is the Associate Professor for Linguistics at USP.
Assistant DPP, Lee Burney then stood up and made an objection, saying he is concerned that the defence is calling Geraghty as an expert witness.
Clarke said they are not calling him as an expert witness and he is just in court to give his evidence on the translation he has done for the defence.
Justice Rajasinghe then said that they should take a break.
He said the defence has to give a copy of Geraghty’s translation to the prosecution, and a decision can be made after that.
Clarke then asked Justice Rajasinghe if he also wants a copy of the translation.
Justice Rajasinghe has said that he does not think that he should read that translation at this point.
The two counsels have presented their arguments and Justice Rajasinghe will deliver his ruling at 2.30pm today on whether Geraghty will take the witness stand for the Fiji Times.
Meanwhile Fiji Times Publisher, Hank Arts will not take the stand in the sedition trial.
Wylie Clarke has informed court, after approaching Arts, that Arts wishes to exercise his right to remain silent.
Fiji Times Limited, Hank Arts and Josaia Waqabaca have pleaded not guilty to sedition while Fred Wesley and Anare Ravula have pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting sedition.
It is alleged that Fiji Times printed the Nai Lalakai newspaper which contained an article which had content with a seditious intention to promote feelings of ill will and hostility between classes of the population.
