The number of pending cases in Fiji’s judiciary has reached a staggering total of 6,593 across the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court as of January. This data was revealed following a query from Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya directed to Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga during a parliamentary session last month.
The breakdown of these pending cases highlights the High Court as the busiest, containing 2,819 cases, followed closely by 689 in the Court of Appeal and just 105 in the Supreme Court. Within the High Court, the Lautoka area leads significantly with 1,494 pending cases, followed by Suva with 1,033 and Labasa with 292.
A striking feature of this backlog is the predominance of civil cases, which total 2,083, while criminal cases stand at 736 across the nation. The Ministry of Justice is actively working with the Chief Registrar to provide a more detailed classification of the pending cases by their nature.
The current situation underscores the long-standing issue of delayed justice, reminiscent of previous concerns expressed by Chief Justice Salesi Temo regarding “slow-moving cases” that have persisted for decades. Justice Temo has implemented reforms aimed at enhancing the efficiency of civil court rules to combat these delays, leveraging expert insights from legal professionals to streamline procedures and restore public confidence in the judicial system.
As Fiji’s judicial system grapples with these challenges, there exists a hopeful outlook for reform. Continuous discussions on improving structures and processes indicate a commitment towards a more efficient and accessible judiciary, with recent initiatives promising significant improvements in case management. This effort could ultimately pave the way for more timely resolutions and a robust legal framework that prioritizes the rights to a fair trial and expedited justice for all citizens.
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