Supreme Court dismisses Fiji Times Limited’s appeal

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of Fiji Times Limited, Brian O’Flaherty and Fred Wesley against the Court of Appeal judgment regarding the contempt of court case against the newspaper company.

The appellants had earlier pleaded not guilty and the High Court Judge after the hearing found the appellants guilty of contempt scandalizing the Court and made the following orders.

Fiji Times Limited was convicted and fined $300,000 to be paid within 28 days from the date of the judgment.

The Appellants appealed against the judgment and orders of the High Court to the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal by judgment dated 2nd October 2015 dismissed the appeal subject to the variation of the fine imposed on the 2nd appellant by reducing the fine of $10,000 to $7,500.

Now the Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal and has also ordered that Fiji Times Limited, O’Flaherty and Wesley shall jointly and severally pay a sum of $5000 as costs to the Attorney General.