Court delays setting trial in Prasad vs Chaudhry Facebook defamation case

The Civil High Court in Suva is yet to fix a hearing date on former Deputy Prime Minster Biman Prasad's case against Fiji Labor Party (FLP) Leader Mahendra Chaudhry for a post made on the FLP Facebook page last May. 

In this lawsuit, Prasad claimed Chaudhry defamed him about misusing government funds, allocating $200,000 to a discredited and disfunct organisation, Global Girmit Institute (GGI), to fund a Girmit conference. 

He was accused of illegally re-registering the GGI in 2023, almost a year after it was deregistered and lied about his wife being part of the trustee ‘many years ago’ when the Institute never showed her as one of the trustees before they were de-registered. 

Prasad claimed this post has ruined the integrity, reputation and this has been brought to public scandal, odium and contempt suffering damages and loss. 

Last August, Prasad asked Chaudhry to take the post done but since then, the defendant has refused to comply nor to make a public apology. 

Prasad has sought: 

• An injunction restraining the defendant from making similar libelous article;
• Damages including aggravated and exemplary damages;  
• Special damages details of which will be provided at the trial;  
• An unconditional apology and a retraction of all express and implied statements and false implications made in the libelous article against the plaintiff; 
• Costs on an indemnity basis; and
• Such further and other relief as this Court seems just fair and equitable.

The matter was called last Wednesday for mention to fix a trial date; however, Civil Judge Justice Anjala Wati did not sit. 

The court is yet to give another date Notice of Adjournment of Hearing.