Lui Vuibureta — the TikToker and farmer who admitted making humiliating remarks about Information Minister Lynda Tabuya in a live social media video — will be sentenced next Tuesday after new mitigation and prosecution material was presented to the High Court this week. Defence counsel told the court Vuibureta was intoxicated when he went live, has no previous convictions and has already spent 46 days in custody, while the prosecution urged a sentence that reflects the seriousness of the offence and acts as a deterrent.
In court, Vuibureta told police he had been drinking for several hours before posting the video and said he did not fully appreciate the extent of his actions until the following day. He apologised in open court and, through his lawyer Eroni Navuda, signalled a willingness to apologise directly to the minister — including by way of a traditional apology if the court permits — as part of his remorse and mitigation.
Navuda told Justice Daniel Goundar the accused accepts responsibility, regrets his actions and has no prior convictions. The defence asked the judge to consider that the publicity surrounding the case and the 46 days Vuibureta has already spent in custody have had a significant impact on him and his family, and submitted that a suspended sentence or a fine would be an appropriate penalty in the circumstances.
Tabuya’s victim impact statement was read to the court as part of the sentencing process. The minister said that although Vuibureta had pleaded guilty, the harm caused by his remarks was “real and deeply felt” by her and her family. She urged the court to make a decision that reinforces the limits of acceptable behaviour on social media, stressing that freedom of expression does not extend to abusing, degrading or humiliating others online.
The prosecution countered that the comments were more than ordinary insults, describing them as highly offensive and intended to humiliate and degrade the minister, causing serious emotional distress. Crown counsel emphasised the need for a sentence that not only mirrors the gravity of the conduct but also sends a clear message to the community about responsible online behaviour and the consequences of using social media to target individuals.
This hearing is the latest development in a case that has drawn public attention since the video was posted in September. Vuibureta previously pleaded guilty in March to the charge arising from the TikTok broadcast, and the matter was set down for sentencing after facts were summarised and mitigation and prosecution submissions were heard. Justice Goundar is due to deliver sentence on Tuesday, March 13, when the court will decide whether to accept the defence’s call for a non-custodial outcome or to impose a penalty the State says must deter similar conduct.
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