The salary of the suspended Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Christopher Pryde, will continue to be withheld as a tribunal investigates allegations of misconduct and financial irregularities.
According to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), the Tribunal which had begun its work in February this year and has had meetings with Pryde’s lawyer is set to begin hearings on August 19, with a report expected to be submitted to President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere by September 23, 2024.
“In the meantime, the JSC has referred a further complaint against the suspended DPP alleging unlawful payment of benefits under his contract, amounting to approximately $288,999.13. The JSC in the meantime has recommended, and the President has agreed, that the DPP’s salary be suspended pending the findings of the Tribunal. The suspended DPP had been advised of these actions,” the JSC statement undersigned by Acting Chief Justice and JSC Chairman Salesi Temo read.
The JSC statement follows Pryde’s claim that the suspension of his salary hindered his ability to defend himself. He also expressed concerns that such actions might discourage other foreigners from considering positions in Fiji’s civil service or judiciary. Pryde, who served as Fiji’s DPP from 2011 until his suspension in March of last year, sought help from New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters and reportedly reached out to various officials for support.
The JSC maintains its commitment to procedural fairness.
