The High Court in Suva has mandated that Veronica Malani ensure her attorney is present at the next court session to arrange a hearing date. Malani appeared before Justice Usaia Ratuvili without her lawyer, Sitiveni Raikanikoda, who was occupied at the Nasinu Magistrate’s Court with another case.
Defense attorney Ronal Singh expressed frustration in court, noting that they had already filed a strike-out application along with necessary documentation and were prepared to establish a hearing date. He pointed out this was not the first time Mr. Raikanikoda had missed proceedings, and his absence did not allow for suggestions regarding potential hearing dates.
The Attorney-General’s office has been allocated 14 days to submit their application to dismiss Malani’s claim, which amounts to $800,244 million. On the other hand, lawyer Mohammed Saneem indicated that they would not pursue the same application since it had not been adequately prepared.
Justice Ratuvili has rescheduled the case to next Wednesday, when a hearing date will be finalized. Malani’s lawsuit involves claims against 11 individuals connected to the investigation of the 1987 bombing case.
This situation illustrates the challenges within the legal process, highlighting the importance of representation during such critical proceedings. The forthcoming hearing may pave the way for clarifying the legal issues at hand, offering a glimmer of hope for all involved as they move closer to a resolution.
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