$120k for defamation

FIJI Labour Party candidate in the 2018 General Election, Aman Ravindra-Singh, has been ordered by the High Court in Suva to pay $60,000 each to Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum as damages in a defamation case.

The matter was called yesterday for judgment before judge Justice Lyone Seneviratne.

Mr Bainimarama and Mr SayedKhaiyum sued Mr Ravindra-Singh for defamation in relation to his Facebook posts.

Mr Ravindra-Singh was alleged to have used offending words in a Facebook post in 2018 titled “Regime Dirty Politics”.

Justice Seneviratne also ordered Mr Ravindra-Singh to render in writing a public retraction and apology to Mr Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum in prominent print to be published on his Facebook page and in all local daily newspapers.

Mr Ravindra-Singh was also ordered by the court to remove the subject article from his Facebook page immediately.

Justice Seneviratne ruled that both Mr Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum were entitled to 6 per cent interest on the sum awarded from March 7, 2018 to the date of the judgment.

Mr Ravindra-Singh was also ordered to pay Mr Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum $8000 as costs.

The damages and costs are to be paid within 30 days.

Mr Ravindra-Singh said he was anticipating this as his application to set aside the matter was not allowed.

Mr Ravindra-Singh said he would study the judgment and an appeal was certainly on the cards.

Picture: SOPHIE RALULU Fiji Corrections Service baton of honour recipient Peniasi Ratu (close to camera) with other awardees Josaia Vuniwai, Peni Matawalu and Taione Baleusa during the passing-out parade at the Naboro Corrections Complex yesterday.

Picture: FILE Aman RavindraSingh.