Update: 4.10pm Fiji High Court judge Anthony Gates has been sworn in as acting Chief Justice by President Ratu Josefa Iloilo.
Justice Gates, who was co-jointly handling High Court file management with Justice John Connors, will hold the fort while Chief Justice Daniel Fatiaki is on leave.
The swearing in ceremony was scheduled for 3pm but had to be delayed for an hour to allow Interim Prime Minister and army commander Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama and members of his Cabinet to be present.
The interim Cabinet was earlier tied up at its first meeting since members were sworn in over two days last week.
Commodore Bainimarama said earlier this month that Justice Fatiaki agreed to go on leave to allow for a full and proper inquiry into the judiciary.
Justice Gates most famous case to date is his sentencing of Qaranivalu Ratu Inoke Takiveikata to life in jail for inciting the November 2000 mutiny at the army camp.
In the aftermath of the May 2000 coup he was among judges who criticised then Chief Justice Sir Timoci Tuivaga and Justice Fatiaki for helping the military draft decrees which legitimised the abrogation of the Constitution, allowing Commodore Bainimarama to seize executive authority.
Chief Magistrate Naomi Lomaiviti is also on leave and Magistrate Ajmal Khan is handling file management.
