The High Court in Suva has set aside four days in November for the full hearing of a defamation suit brought by former finance minister Professor Biman Prasad against veteran politician Mahendra Chaudhry. Justice Anjala Wati scheduled the trial to begin at 9.30am on November 23, marking the next major step in a dispute that has centred on social media posts made since 2023.
Court documents lodged by Prof Prasad allege that Mr Chaudhry published false and defamatory statements about him on Facebook on several occasions last year. The documents say one post accused Prof Prasad of allocating $200,000 earmarked for the Girmit Conference to the Global Girmit Institute (GGI), and described the institute as “discredited” and deregistered at the time the alleged statements were made.
Mr Chaudhry’s post, according to the pleadings, further claimed GGI applied for re‑registration in February 2023 and listed trustees including Prof Prasad’s wife, Rajni Kaushal Chand, as well as Ganesh Chand and Hirdesh Sharma. The post is said to have insinuated that Prof Prasad authorised the release of government funds without following proper procedures. Prof Prasad maintains the statements are false and damaging to his reputation.
Prof Prasad is represented in the High Court by law firm Sherani & Co. The court notice allocates four hearing days for the matter — an indication that Justice Wati expects the trial will involve detailed evidence and submissions from both sides. It is not yet clear from court records who will act for Mr Chaudhry at trial or whether other witnesses, including representatives of GGI, will be called.
The scheduled trial is the latest development in a dispute that has played out publicly since 2023 as the use of social media to air allegations has increased scrutiny of public figures in Fiji. Mahendra Chaudhry, a former prime minister and long‑time leader of the Fiji Labour Party, has been a prominent commentator on public affairs; Prof Prasad is a noted academic who served as finance minister. The GGI’s status — described in the pleadings as deregistered at the time of the posts but with an application for re‑registration in February 2023 — is central to the factual issues the court will need to resolve.
With the trial set to begin on November 23 at the Suva High Court, both sides will have the opportunity to present evidence and legal arguments over the allotted four days. The outcome could clarify the legal boundaries for political comment on social media and the standards for proving reputational harm in cases involving high‑profile figures.
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