Local lawyer struck off

The Chief Justice has issued a Determination on 19 November striking the name of Mr Tevita Vakalalabure from the Roll of Barristers of the Cook Islands High Court.
The Determination follows the lodging of a complaint under the Law Practitioners Act 1995-1996 by Mr Brian Mason and also the reference by the Honourable Justice Weston of his Judgments dated 27 November 2008 and 18 June 2009. In those Judgments Mr Vakalalabure was convicted and sentenced for the offence of drunken driving causing injury. In addition to convicting Mr Vakalalabure, Justice Weston made a finding that Mr Vakalalabure had fabricated evidence for his defence.
As a result of his enquiries, the Chief Justice upheld Justice Weston’s finding that Mr Vakalalabure had fabricated evidence. Accordingly, the Chief Justice found that, when considered in light of the totality of Mr Vakalalabure’s past offending and misconduct, Mr Vakalalabure was guilty of professional misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a barrister, and conviction of an offence punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year where that conviction reflects on the practitioner’s fitness to practise as a barrister and tends to bring the profession into disrepute. The Chief Justice decided that in view of the seriousness of all of these matters there was no alternative, but to strike Mr Vakalalabure from the Roll of Barristers with the consequence that he must not undertake any legal work in the future.
However, the Chief Justice directed that the order for striking off shall not come into force until 14 days after the date of service of his Determination on Mr Vakalalabure. That 14-day period is provided to enable Mr Vakalalabure to terminate all of his current briefs and instructions and pass on his cases to other practitioners. After the expiration of the 14-day period, Mr Vakalalabure must not undertake any legal work.”

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