Some Inmates Serve Longer Terms: Acting Chief Justice
“Mr Chief Justice saying there’s a lot of money to be made in representing prisoners bringing challenges to court, but mine is a bit practical I suppose, a lot of us would love to take things to court, but funding is an issue,” she said.
Sunday 21 January 2024 | 10:10
Participants of the Fiji Law Society annual convention at the Shangri-La Yanuca Island on January 19, 2024. Photo: Leon Lord
says, most former inmates often raised their concerns about the Fiji Corrections Service not applying the law for the designated period a convicted person has to serve.
He aired the comment during the Fiji Law Society annual convention at the Shangri-La Yanuca Island on Friday.
“Corrections authorities are not applying that Supreme Court law on when they (inmates) should be released out of prison, a lot of them are serving time when they shouldn’t be in there and chances of the state being sued for unlawful false imprisonment is high,” he said.
Related stories
Paid Advertisement | January 2024
In response, Acting CJ Temo said he was concerned that if these accused people took the government to court for false imprisonment, there would be a lot of compensation paid by the state to them.
“I remember in the past, one prisoner was held for more than 18 days and he was given more than $28,000 compensation to be paid by the state to that person and that prisoner was a seasoned criminal.
But as for most lawyers, that $28,000 would not attract them, this is what we are talking about,” he said.
Feedback: salote.qalubau@fijisun.com.fj
