The Judiciary of Fiji today welcomed Mr. Penijamini Ravulolo Lomaloma as the newly appointed Acting Puisne Judge of the High Court.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at State House, presided over by His Excellency Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, President of the Republic of Fiji. Among those in attendance were Chief Justice His Lordship Salesi Temo, Chief Registrar Mr. Tomasi Bainivalu, as well as Mr. Lomaloma's family. The Attorney General and Minister for Justice expressed their apologies for not attending due to a Cabinet meeting that coincided with the ceremony. Mr. Lomaloma takes his place on the High Court bench where he will exercise unlimited original jurisdiction, capable of adjudicating all civil and criminal matters under Fijian law, as well as cases originating from constitutional interpretation. The High Court is also responsible for adjudicating matters related to electoral disputes and appeals from lower courts. Additionally, it handles probate matters in accordance with the Succession, Probate & Administration Act.

Before his recent appointment, Magistrate Lomaloma served as a Resident Magistrate since November 2023, overseeing cases in the Nasinu, Savusavu, and Taveuni Courts. He has considerable experience in criminal law, possessing a strong background in sentencing, trials, judgment writing, rulings, and managing civil cases. Previously, Mr. Lomaloma held the position of Resident Magistrate at the District Court of Nauru from March 2017 to May 2022. He began his legal career in 1994 after being admitted to the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory in Canberra, and subsequently to the High Court of Fiji. Before entering the legal field, he served as a military officer, graduating as an Infantry Officer from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (UK) on December 11, 1981, where he was honored with the Cane of Honour as the Best Overseas Cadet of his year. He further pursued military studies in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, and served as a Chief Instructor for Officer Cadets, specializing in Tactics and Strategy. From 1982 to 1983, he acted as a Platoon Commander in Lebanon with FIJIBATT under UNIFIL and later served as the Operations Officer for FIJIBATT during peacekeeping missions. Additionally, he functioned as an Operations and Intelligence Officer with the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in Sinai, Egypt, between 1986 and 1987. Mr. Lomaloma was formally admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in both the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory and the High Court of Fiji in 1994.

His academic credentials include: - Bachelor of Laws – Bond University, Queensland, Australia - Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice – The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia - Graduate – Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, United Kingdom #FijiGovernment #FijiNews #CoalitionGovernment