Lautoka lawyer Aman Ravindra Singh has asked for time to engage counsel to represent him in his committal proceedings case.

The lawyers for Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum filed a committal proceeding against Singh for failing to comply with the orders made by the Civil High Court of Suva.

Singh was ordered by Justice Lyone Seneviratne, in his Judgement, to pay $120,000 in damages to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum for defamatory claims he had made on social media.

This was to be paid within 30 days from the date of the judgment, which was in July 2020.

He was also ordered to publish apologies in all local daily newspapers.

Along with that, Singh was ordered to pay $8000 in court costs, and interest of six per cent on the compensation sum from March 7, 2018, to the date of the judgment.

In court yesterday, lawyers for the PM and A-G, Devanesh Sharma and Gul Fatima, told the court that they filed a supplementary affidavit in support for the committal proceeding case because Singh disregarded the court’s orders in the defamation judgement.

Singh told the court that he had some difficulties in the matter and that he could not represent himself in this matter and would need to find a lawyer.

Singh has been given 28 days to file an affidavit in reply.

The matter has been adjourned for hearing on January 18.

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