Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama summoned former Solicitor-General Sharvada Sharma to his office on September 16, 2021, and asked him to resign, the High Court heard last week.
Munro Leys lawyer Jon Apted representing Mr Sharma, said the PM told the former SG he had been “hearing things”.
He said Mr Sharma, who was sacked on November denied any wrong doing and sought time to explain.
“He was given a short time to explain in writing, which he did,” Mr Apted said.
Mr Apted said Mr Sharma denied any wrongdoing but could not provide a full explanation because of the shortness of time, but said he could see no reason to resign.
Mr Sharma also told the Prime Minister that the Judicial Services Commission was the proper authority to consider any complaint against him and to hear him in a procedurally correct manner as the Constitution required.
However, the following Monday the PM again called Mr Sharma to his office, where he handed him a prepared resignation letter to sign. Mr Sharma refused to sign it.
Mr Apted said Mr Sharma’s phone was taken off him by a security guard as he left the PM’s office.
When Mr Sharma returned to his own office, his laptop was taken off him by a member of the Attorney-General’s security detail.
Mr Apted said before Mr Sharma was subjected to any disciplinary proceedings, “the executive acted to remove his tools of office”.
Earlier in his submission Mr Apted said Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem had expressed dissatisfaction with the way Mr Sharma had represented him last year in Parliamentarian Niko Nawaikula’s case in the Court of Disputed Returns.
Mr Nawaikula challenged Mr Saneem’s decision to remove him from the National Register of Voters for using his common name rather than his birth certificate name.
Mr Saneem complained to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission against Mr Sharma, who responded to the letter .
“That was as far as he was concerned, he continued at work,” Mr Apted said.
