Name Naomi Matanitobua | ||
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Naomi Matanitobua is a former Fijian judge, who took office as Fiji's Chief Magistrate on 14 December 2005, succeeding David Balram. Her term of appointment was for three years.
Matanitobua's first application for the position, in 2002, was not successful. She was determined to dispel the impression, she said, that women cannot occupy senior judicial offices.
Her legal career began as a temporary relieving court clerk in 1980. By 1999, she had become a resident magistrate.
2006 coup d'état
In the wake of the military coup which deposed the Qarase government on 5 December 2006, Matanitobua was sent on paid leave until further notice, along with Chief Justice Daniel Fatiaki, on 3 January 2007. The military administration said it wanted to conduct an investigation into the judiciary. The investigation would cover allegations that members of the judiciary had been implicated in an earlier coup in 2000.