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.
🕊️ October 2025 — Voire 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 — Voire 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 — Voire 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 — Voire 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.