Self-exiled Director of Public Prosecutions Christopher Pryde says he is ready to return and resume his duties on the condition that the Judicial Services Commission provides assurances he will not face a sudden suspension, salary cut, arbitrary arrest, or a stop departure notice upon his return to Fiji.
In a statement, Pryde says he shared the Prime Minister’s concern that he has still not returned to Fiji to resume his duties despite being exonerated by the Tribunal and reinstated by the President, earlier this year.
He says he remains ready to return to work as soon as the Judicial Services Commission and FICAC have concluded their investigations into further allegations against him raised by the acting DPP, Nancy Tikoisuva, just prior to his intended resumption of duties in Fiji.
Pryde says on 14th February, he responded fully to these further allegations as per the request from the JSC who informed him that they would await the outcome of the FICAC investigation before making a decision.
He says he reminded the JSC that, as a constitutional body, it is wrong for the JSC to delegate its functions to other agencies and that the JSC needs to carry out its own investigation and make a decision on his case as an independent body.
Pryde says he also forwarded that same response to FICAC who have since informed him that, at this stage, they do not require any further information from him and that he will be advised when the investigation is completed.
He stresses he remains the substantive DPP and willing to return to Fiji and resume his duties but he need an assurance from the JSC that the further allegations against him will not result in a sudden suspension from office and a unilateral cutting off of his salary as happened last time.
He also needs an assurance that he will not be arbitrarily arrested upon his return to Fiji and served with a stop departure notice.
Pryde says he has responded fully to all allegations and has provided all documentation.
He says he simply awaits a decision from the relevant authorities.
He further says having read the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding recent decisions made by the JSC, he remains extremely concerned that investigations by the police will be forwarded to the ODPP and examined by the acting DPP, Nancy Tikoisuva and her deputy, John Rabuku.
He says both these people clearly have conflicts of interest.
Pryde says he can only speculate that the reason for the unconscionable delay in making any decision on his matter is a deliberate ploy to ensure that he remains outside Fiji and is unable to make any decisions on the results of police investigations stemming from the report.
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