High Court rejects stay bid by ex-minister and fisheries official

The High Court has refused an application by former Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Kalaveti Ravu, and Fisheries Regional Manager North, Tekata Toaisi, seeking a stay of a judgment that overturned their acquittal.

Ravu and Toaisi appeared with their lawyer before Justice Daniel Goundar at the High Court in Suva this morning for the ruling. The application followed Justice Goundar’s earlier decision to overturn their acquittal and order the continuation of the trial with the defence case.

Ravu and Toaisi are charged with allegedly interfering in an ongoing investigation into the illegal harvesting of a species of beche-de-mer in 2023.

In his ruling, Justice Goundar stated that the application could not be granted, as the matter is criminal in nature, not civil. He explained that in exercising its appellate criminal jurisdiction, the High Court does not have the authority to suspend or stay the effect of its own determination once delivered.

Justice Goundar advised that if the applicants wished to challenge his decision, they would need to seek interlocutory relief directly from the Court of Appeal. He further said that the applicants had not cited any legal provisions granting the High Court residual power to grant such an application, and therefore, the court could not entertain it.

The case is currently before the Nasinu Magistrate Court, while an appeal has been filed with the Court of Appeal.