Two prominent judges have been appointed to Fiji’s judiciary. Justice Lee James Burney and Justice Gus Andree Wiltens were sworn in at a ceremony held at the State House in Suva.
Justice Burney will serve as Puisne Judge of the High Court, while Justice Wiltens has been appointed as Justice of Appeal in the Court of Appeal. The ceremony was officiated by the President of Fiji, His Excellency Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, and attended by Acting Chief Justice Justice Salesi Temo, Solicitor General Ropate Green, and Chief Registrar Tomasi Bainivalu.
Prior to his new role, Justice Burney worked as the Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions from 2014, focusing on appellate-level legal matters and managing numerous cases before both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. His background also includes serving as a Staff Officer with the Army Legal Services from 2005 to 2013, where he provided guidance on various legal matters to military commanders and offered legal advice during UK combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Justice Wiltens brings nearly 50 years of legal experience from New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Vanuatu, and the Pacific region. His areas of expertise include litigation, fraud prosecution, and enhancing legal capacity. As a District Court Judge in Manukau, he managed over 200 jury trials and led court renovations, along with conducting educational seminars.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Auckland University and a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Hong Kong. Justice Wiltens also served as a Supreme Court Judge in Port Vila from 2018 to 2022 before returning to the Manukau Court in Auckland as an Acting Warranted District Court Judge.