Outgoing Acting Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku believes there is a greater responsibility on the legal profession to address legal matters with honesty.
Speaking openly about his impending departure from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Rabuku stated that public comments from the legal community regarding his exit have been challenging.
“There is a greater responsibility on the legal profession to approach legal issues with honesty, analytical thinking, and intelligence,” said Rabuku. “Especially when such legal issues are in the public eye and are being consumed by people across Fiji, the Fiji diaspora, and those interested in Fijian affairs.”
“Lawyers are pivotal agents of change in a community. Their public views on the law or legal issues shape public opinion,” he added.
Rabuku noted that none of the senior lawyers or prominent figures in the legal field who publicly called for his resignation contacted him directly. “We all know each other as we have been in the same profession for years, and I have worked with some of them,” he said.
“If they had called me, they would have learned from me that I am leaving the office following the Supreme Court opinion and the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) decision. But it was just a matter of the JSC sorting out my exit and on what terms. So, it was not a ‘rule of law’ issue but an administrative one that needed to be handled delicately to ensure a smooth transition within the Office of the DPP while I exit with dignity.”
Rabuku emphasized the need for lawyers to have honest conversations among themselves rather than grandstanding on the rule of law and making public statements that impact public opinion and contribute to misinformation.
Rabuku confirmed receiving his revocation letter from President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere. His tenure as Acting Director of Public Prosecutions will officially end at midnight tonight.