Lui Bale Vuibereta has been further remanded in custody by the High Court in Suva and will reappear today after admitting to making derogatory comments about Information Minister Lynda Tabuya during a TikTok livestream.
The 32-year-old earlier this year pleaded guilty to one count of causing harm by posting an electronic communication on September 14, 2025.
During the livestream, Vuibereta repeatedly accused Ms Tabuya of being a “homewrecker” and adulteress, intending to humiliate her.
According to the summary of facts, the video was later circulated on ChatFiji, a Facebook group with more than 41,000 members.
The court heard he had been heavily intoxicated at the time and only realised what he had done the following day when the video began circulating widely on social media.
Vuibereta, a father of two, had previously lived in Australia where he completed high school and worked as a construction worker before being deported for committing a crime.
In Fiji, he helps on his family’s farm and runs a small online business. His lawyer, Eroni Navuda, said his client accepted full responsibility and his family was willing to offer a traditional apology to Ms Tabuya.
He asked the court to consider Vuibereta’s 46 days on remand as time served, adding his client was willing to pay a fine between $1000 and $2000 or receive a suspended sentence.
In her victim impact statement, Ms Tabuya said the video caused humiliation and emotional harm to her family and urged the court to send a message that social media should not be used to humiliate others.
