This page documents verified procedural developments in State v. Osea Mataitoga (HAC 157/22) as reflected in official court listings and written correspondence. Updates are posted only when confirmed through formal sources.
February 2026 — Ruling Delivered / Trial Phase
The High Court has confirmed in written correspondence that the voir dire ruling in State v. Osea Mataitoga (HAC 157/22) was delivered on December 2, 2025.
The matter is now listed for mention on February 23, 2026, to fix a trial date.
January 2026 — Status Pending
As of January 2026, no official ruling has been communicated to the family in State v. Osea Mataitoga (HAC 157/22).
The family has submitted formal written requests to the Lautoka High Court Registry and the relevant authorities seeking confirmation of whether the voir dire ruling scheduled for November 2025 had been delivered, or whether the matter remains pending or has been further adjourned.
This entry will be updated upon receipt of official written confirmation from the Court or ODPP.
December 2025 — Awaiting Official Update
No public cause list or written ruling was provided to the family in December 2025 regarding the status of State v. Osea Mataitoga (HAC 157/22).
Despite the adjournment of the ruling to November 19, 2025, the family did not receive any formal notice confirming whether the ruling was delivered before the court’s year-end recess.
The matter remains under active monitoring through official correspondence with court authorities.
November 2025 — Ruling Adjourned
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has confirmed that the ruling in State v. Osea Mataitoga (HAC 157/22) was not delivered on November 5, 2025, as initially scheduled.
The Lautoka High Court has adjourned the matter to November 19, 2025, before Hon. Justice Riyaz Hamza, for a ruling on the admissibility of the accused’s record of interview and related evidence presented during the May hearings.
The family of the late Mr. Sesha Reddy (1953–2021) continues to monitor official court communications and correspondence with the ODPP Fiji.
October 2025 — Voir Dire Deferred
The case remained before the Lautoka High Court.
A voir dire hearing to determine the admissibility of the accused’s record of interview had concluded earlier this year, and the ruling—deferred several times since June—was scheduled for October 16, 2025 before Hon. Justice Riyaz Hamza.
September 2025 — Voir Dire Continues
State v. Osea Mataitoga (HAC 157/22) appeared on both the September 15 – 19, 2025 and September 29 – October 3, 2025 Lautoka High Court cause lists, each marked “Voir Dire Ruling” before Hon. Justice Riyaz Hamza.
These successive listings confirm that the decision on admissibility—a key procedural step before the main trial—was still pending at the end of September 2025.
August 2025 — Voir Dire Continues
The case remained active before the Lautoka High Court and reappeared on the August 18 – 22, 2025 Weekly Cause List for Voir Dire Ruling before Hon. Justice Hamza.
This repeat listing indicated that no ruling had yet been delivered since June, confirming that the matter was still under the Court’s management and had not been closed or dismissed.
June 2025 — Voir Dire Continues
The matter appeared on the Lautoka High Court Weekly Cause List for June 23 – 27, 2025, listed for Voir Dire Ruling before Hon. Justice Riyaz Hamza.
This confirmed that the voir dire hearing held in May had concluded and that the Court had reserved its decision on the admissibility of the accused’s record of interview and related evidence.
The case then entered a period of judicial consideration while awaiting the ruling.
May 2025 — Voir Dire Hearing Commenced
The voir dire hearing in State v. Osea Mataitoga (HAC 157/22) began on May 5, 2025 before Hon. Justice Riyaz Hamza at the Lautoka High Court and continued across three consecutive weeks through late May.
This hearing addressed the defense’s challenge to the admissibility of the accused’s police interview, which reportedly includes admissions related to the death of Mr. Sesha Reddy.
The prosecution, led by the DPP, presented submissions supporting the statement’s inclusion into evidence.
April 2025 — Disclosure & Adjournment
On April 22, 2025, a representative from the Lautoka Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) appeared in court.
The court ordered the prosecution to serve additional voir dire disclosures by April 23, 2025, after which the case was adjourned to May 5, 2025.
This ensured that both parties received all relevant evidence before the hearing resumed.
Note
Updates shared on Justice4Reddy.org are based on verified communications and official court records when accessible. Sources: Fiji Judiciary Weekly Cause Lists (Apr – Nov 2025), verified correspondence with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) Fiji, and official Lautoka High Court registry communications. If you are an official representative of the Fiji Judiciary or ODPP and can provide verified information regarding this matter, please contact justice4reddy@gmail.com
