The family of suspended chief justice Kamal Kumar say they were shocked when news of his death reached them on Tuesday afternoon.
His younger brother, Ajesh Kumar said the former chief justice never shared he was sick.
“All the time he was fine and not discussing any medical condition with us,” he said.
“But there was a problem with his heart. We were really shocked when he passed away because I had talked to him the day he died (Tuesday morning), and he said he would recover in a day or two. And by 3.30pm he had passed on.”
Mr Kumar is survived by his wife and two children who reside in Brisbane, Australia.
He had served as chief justice from 2019 to 2023.
Mr Kumar did his Bachelor of Law at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia.
After practicing law in Australia and Fiji, he was appointed to the civil division of the High Court in 2013 then as acting chief justice following the retirement of Anthony Gates in April 2019, and was formally sworn in on August 6, 2021.
President Wiliame Katonivere suspended Mr Kumar in January this year following claims of misbehaviour.
He will be laid to rest at the Tavakubu cemetery in Lautoka on Monday.
