Siromi Turaga

The Honourable
Siromi Turaga
MP
Turaga in 2023
35th Attorney-General of Fiji
In office
24 December 2022 – 5 June 2024
Prime MinisterSitiveni Rabuka
Preceded byAiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
Succeeded byGraham Leung
Minister for Justice
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 December 2022
Prime MinisterSitiveni Rabuka
Preceded byAiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
Member of the Fijian Parliament
for PA List
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 December 2022
Personal details
Born1967 or 1968 (age 56–57)[1]
Tovulailai, Fiji
Political partyPeople's Alliance

Siromi Dokonivalu Turaga is a Fijian lawyer, politician, and cabinet minister who served as Attorney-General of Fiji from 2022 to 2024. He is a member of the People's Alliance.

Turaga was born in Tovulailai on Nairai in the Lomaiviti Islands and educated at AOG Primary School in Kinoya and Central Fijian School in Nausori.[1] After studying in Australia on a Fijian Affairs Board scholarship he attended the University of the South Pacific, where he studied history and politics, and Saint Peter's University in the United States, where he studied political science.[1] He joined the Fijian civil service in 1991 as a cadet in the prime minister's office, and later studied law.[1] Admitted as a lawyer in 1999, he worked for the Attorney-General's office before being appointed a magistrate in 2012.[2][3] In April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic he acquitted two men of breaching a curfew on the grounds that the charge was defective as the Prime Minister had no power to order arrests under the Public Health Act.[4] The ruling was subsequently set aside by the High Court,[5] and in May 2020 his contract as a magistrate was not renewed.[2] He later claimed that he was fired for ruling against the government.[6]

In May 2022 he was announced as a People's Alliance candidate for the 2022 Fijian general election.[7][8] During the election campaign he said that he supported jailing FijiFirst leaders Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum if there were charges that supported it.[9]

He was elected to the Parliament of Fiji with 2860 votes.[10][11] On 24 December 2022 he was appointed Attorney-General in the coalition government of Sitiveni Rabuka.[12]

In March 2024 he was investigated by police over his handling of a 2022 divorce case.[13] On 5 June 2024 he was stripped of his role as Attorney-General over advice on an MP's pay rise.[14] He was replaced by Graham Leung.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Shayal Devi (8 December 2022). "2022 General Election: Turaga gives credit to FAB scholarship". Fiji Times. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  2. ^ a b Fonua Talei and Inoke Rabonu (9 May 2020). "Magistrate Turaga's Contract Not Renewed: Acting CJ". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  3. ^ "MAGISTRATES TAKE THEIR OATH". Fijian Government. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  4. ^ Fonua Talei (16 April 2020). "Duo Acquitted For Defective Curfew Charge". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Fiji magistrate's ruling on curfew breakers set aside". RNZ. 18 April 2020. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  6. ^ Navitalai Naivalurua (21 June 2022). "Former Nadi Magistrate says People's Alliance will ensure stories of people will be addressed". Fiji Village. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  7. ^ Repeka Nasiko (13 May 2022). "Former magistrate to stand for election". Fiji Times. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  8. ^ Iva Danford (9 May 2022). "People's Alliance announces another 12 proposed candidates". Fiji Village. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  9. ^ Nacanieli Tuilevuka (7 December 2022). "'He's Lost His Marbles'". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  10. ^ Nacanieli Tuilevuka (22 December 2022). "Siromi Turaga To Be The Voice Of The Voiceless". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Siromi Dokonivalu Turaga (381)". Fijian Elections Office. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  12. ^ Apenisa Waqairadovu (24 December 2022). "Siromi Turaga sworn in as new AG". FBC News. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Siromi Turaga says allegations 'baseless and misleading'". RNZ. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Lawyer Graham Leung is Fiji's new attorney-general, Siromi Turaga sidelined". RNZ. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.