Preetika Prasad is now the Acting Solicitor General

President Jioji Konrote has appointed Preetika Priyadarshni Prasad as the Acting Solicitor-General.

In a statement, the Fijian Government says Prasad who has served in the Office of the Attorney-General since 2005 is Fiji's first woman Acting Solicitor-General.

She has held the role of State Solicitor since 2016.

The Public Service Commission has appointed Susan Kiran to be the Acting Permanent Secretary for Justice.

[Susan Kiran to be the Acting Permanent Secretary for Justice]

Kiran is currently the Permanent Secretary for Civil Service.

Solicitor General Sharvada Sharma was suspended by President Jioji Konrote after an allegation of misbehaviour however details of the specific allegation are not revealed as yet.

This has been confirmed to Legend FM News by Chief Justice Kamal Kumar who is the Chairman of the Judicial Services Commission.

Chief Justice Kumar says he cannot comment on who made the allegation of misbehaviour against the Solicitor General however a tribunal will now be appointed by the President to hear the case.

He confirms that the Judicial Services Commission met on Monday and advised the President to act under sections 112 and 116 of the Constitution regarding the Solicitor General.

Under section 116 (5) of the Constitution, the Solicitor General shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Judicial Services Commission following consultation by the Judicial Services Commission with the Attorney General.

Under section 116 (6), the President may, on the recommendation of the Judicial Services Commission following consultation by it with the Attorney General, appoint a person to act as the Solicitor General during any period or during all periods, when the office of the Solicitor General is vacant or when the Solicitor General is absent from duty or from Fiji or is, for any reason, unable to perform the functions of office.

Section 104 (1) states that the Judicial Services Commission shall consist of the Chief Justice, who is to be the chairperson; the President of the Court of Appeal; the Permanent Secretary responsible for justice; a legal practitioner to be appointed by the President on the advice of the Chief Justice following consultation by the Chief Justice with the Attorney General and who has not less than 15 years post-admission practice; and has not been found guilty of any disciplinary proceeding involving legal practitioners whether in Fiji or abroad, including any proceeding by the Independent Legal Services Commission or any proceeding under the law governing legal practitioners, barristers and solicitors prior to the establishment of the Independent Legal Services Commission; and a person, not being a legal practitioner, appointed by the President on the advice of the Chief Justice following consultation by the Chief Justice with the Attorney-General.

Section 112 (3)(a) of the Constitution states that the President, acting on the advice of the Judicial Services Commission, shall appoint in the case of alleged misbehaviour — a tribunal, consisting of a chairperson and not less than 2 other members, selected from amongst persons who hold or have held high judicial office in Fiji or in another country.