Christopher Pryde Photo: supplied
Fiji's Justice Minister Siromi Turaga is urging the suspended chief prosecutor to front up to his hearing on Monday regarding alleged misconduct.
New Zealander Christopher Pryde, 59, was suspended by the head of state in April 2023 for alleged "misbehaviour" and is refusing to appear before a Tribunal on 2 November, unless his salary is restored.
Pryde told RNZ Pacific that he believed there was a conspiracy within the Fiji government to remove all high-level foreigners working in the public service.
Turaga is scheduled to appear at the hearing and said it would not be prudent for either of them to comment on the matter beforehand.
"I can only advise that if Mr Pryde wishes to say anything, he should do so at the Tribunal," he said.
"His conduct, or misconduct, is the very issue for deliberation and in my view it is in his best interests to be present at the hearing."
However, the suspended director of public prosecutions is adamant he will not attend.
"I will not be bullied into participating in a hearing without the ability to adequately defend myself," Pryde said.
He was appointed as chief prosecutor in November 2011, but was suspended on full pay by the former president, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, on the advice of Fiji's Judicial Services Committee (JSC).
He was charged after he was seen talking to the former Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at an event hosted by the Japanese Embassy in Suva.
A police file on Khaiyum had been forwarded to his office at the time the two met, but Pryde said he had not yet read it.
Turaga, who was Fiji's Attorney-General at the time, said this was tantamount to "misconduct."
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka subsequently said that people in high office needed to be "very aware of who is watching what we do."
"For the DPP (Pryde) to be seen fraternising with a high profile person under investigation (Sayed-Khaiyum) would not be the right thing to do."
The government set up a Tribunal in March this year to investigate the charge, nearly 12 months after Pryde's suspension.
"Why did it take so long to set it up? I believe there was a fishing expedition to dig up dirt on me," Pryde said.
In April this year, he was also charged with receiving superannuation payments that had not been approved by the JSC.
Pryde's superannuation ceased then his salary and all contractural benefits were "unliaterally" cut off by the Fijian government in July this year.