Graham Leung is the country’s new Attorney General. He took his oath of office before His Excellency President Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere at State House on 5 June. Photo: Facebook / Fiji Government
The Fijian government has stripped the role of chief legal advisor from its Justice Minister Siromi Turaga and appointed a former president of the country's law society as the new Attorney-General.
It is an astonishing move by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who admitted last week that he was wrongly advised following on the issue of members of Parliament giving themselves a pay rise, which has led to widespread public outcry.
In a swearing in ceremony on Wednesday in Suva, Graham Leung, was revealed as the new Attorney-General, taking his oath before President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere.
Leung, who has also held the role of Secretary for Justice of Nauru and as Fiji's Electoral Commission chair, has worked as Barrister and Solicitor and has over 30 years of experience in various fields of law.
"Prior to that Mr Leung was Director of the Center for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers (CIJL) at the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in Switzerland," the government said in a statement.
"Leung started his career as a State Law Officer at the Attorney General's Chambers in Suva where he rose to the position of Deputy Solicitor General. He was also Counsellor/Deputy PRUN at Fiji's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York before he joined private practice as partner at a prominent Suva law firm.
"Leung read law at the University of Adelaide where he attained his Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B) (Hons.). He also holds a Master of Laws degree (LL.M) from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law.
"As a volunteer, Mr Leung is a former Director of Greenpeace Pacific and former Board member of the Fiji Rugby Union."