Salesi Temo Explained

Salesi Temo
Office:	Chief Justice of Fiji
Term Start:	30 January 2023 Acting
Predecessor:	Kamal Kumar

Salesi Temo is a Fijian jurist. In January 2023 he was appointed acting Chief Justice of Fiji.

Temo worked as a magistrate, and played a prominent role in prosecutions following the 2000 Fijian coup d'état.^{[1] [2] [3]} He continued in office after the 2006 Fijian coup d'état, and accepted reappointment following the military regime's abrogation of the 1997 Constitution of Fiji during the 2009 Fijian constitutional crisis.^[4] In June 2009 he was appointed to the High Court of Fiji as an acting Puisne judge by the military regime.^[5]

In September 2011 he criticised the New Zealand government for refusing to cooperate with Fiji's military regime or extradite people wanted for political offences by the dictatorship.^[6]

On 30 January 2023 he was appointed acting chief justice following the suspension of Kamal Kumar for misbehaviour.^{[7] [8]}

Honours

In October 2020, he was awarded the 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal for his services to the judiciary.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Fiji magistrate concerned about attitude of some soldiers . RNZ . 11 August 2003 . 31 January 2023.
2. Web site: 18 Fiji landowners plead guilty in Monasavu seizure after coup . RNZ . 13 November 2002 . 31 January 2023.
3. Web site: Nine Fiji villagers jailed for seizing power installations during coup . RNZ . 27 June 2005 . 31 January 2023.
4. Web site: Eight Fiji magistrates back as regime struggles to rebuild judiciary . RNZ . 20 April 2009 . 31 January 2023.
5. Web site: Fiji judiciary bolstered with more appointments . RNZ . 11 June 2009 . 31 January 2023.
6. Web site: New Zealand denies claims it's biased towards Fiji's judiciary . RNZ . 20 September 2011 . 31 January 2023.
7. Web site: Justice Kumar suspended; Justice Temo to act as Chief Justice . Fiji Times . 31 January 2023 . 31 January 2023.
8. Web site: President suspends Chief Justice Kamal Kumar after complaints of misbehaviour . Fiji Village . 30 January 2023 . 31 January 2023.
9. Web site: High Court Judges Daniel Goundar And Salesi Temo Among Those Recognised For Role In Our Judiciary . Fiji Sun . 15 October 2020 . 31 January 2023.