Rachel Subusola Olutimayin

Last updated
Rachel Subusola Olutimayin
Born
Nationality Fiji
Known forDirector of Public Prosecutions
PredecessorRonald Bei Talasasa
SuccessorAndrew. E. Kelesi

Rachel Subusola Olutimayin was the first woman to be the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Solomon Islands. She was born in Nigeria but her nationality was Fijian.

Life

Olutimayin was born in Nigeria but her nationality was Fijian and she gives her residence as Canada. [1]

She came to the Solomon Islands in 2003 as part of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands. She worked for the Islands' public solicitor and for the Director of Public Prosecutions. [2] In 2009 she was employed by the University of the South Pacific as a senior lecturer while supplying her expertise to settling difficult cases. [3]

In 2019 Olutimayin took over from Ronald Bei Talasasa [2] who had been the country's Director of Public Prosecutions. Ethel Sigimanu who was the ministry of justice's permanent secretary gave her the contract [1] and she noted the significance of her appointment as the first woman DPP. She was sworn in as the DPP by the Governor General David Vunagi. [2]

She was part of continued efforts to remove the gender bias in the Solomon Islands' justice system. This idea received support from Australia and the United Nations. Studies had shown that women in the Solomon Islands were not contributing to the economy because of "domestic and sexual violence, bullying, and sexual harassment". Sally-Anne Vincent, then deputy High Commissioner, said in 2021 that the governmement had seen how this discrimination affected their country. [4]

In September 2023 her term as Director of Public Prosecutions came to an end and she was replaced by Andrew. E. Kelesi who had served as her deputy. [5]

Related Research Articles

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is the office or official charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world. The title is used mainly in jurisdictions that are or have been members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Julian Ronald Moti QC CSI was the Attorney General of the Solomon Islands. He was born in Fiji and educated in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nazhat Shameem</span> Fijian diplomat

Nazhat Shameem Khan is a Fijian diplomat and former judge who served as the Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations from 2014 to 2022. She was also the President of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2021. She served as a judge of the High Court of Fiji from 1999 to 2009, the first woman to do so. She is currently a Deputy Prosecutor for the International Criminal Court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Director of Public Prosecutions (Fiji)</span>

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) Fiji is an independent office by virtue of section 117 of the 2013 Constitution of Fiji. The ODPP is motivated by the principle that it is in the interest of justice that the guilty be brought to justice and the innocent are not wrongly convicted.

Leanne Clare is a Judge of the District Court of Queensland and a former Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). On 2 April 2008 she was appointed to the District Court after eight years as DPP. Between 1999 and 2000 she served as an acting judge at Ipswich District Court.

Rape by deception is a situation in which the perpetrator deceives the victim into participating in a sexual act to which they would otherwise not have consented, had they not been deceived. Deception can occur in many forms, such as illusory perceptions, false statements, and false actions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alison Saunders</span> British barrister

Dame Alison Margaret Saunders, is a British barrister and a former Director of Public Prosecutions. She was the first lawyer from within the Crown Prosecution Service and the second woman to hold the appointment. She was also the second holder of this office not to be a Queen's Counsel. She was previously the Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London. Her term of office ended on 31 October 2018. She is now a Partner at the Magic Circle law firm Linklaters.

Margaret Wilson is a former judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland in the Trial Division. She was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1992 and served on the court from 1998 until 2014. She is also a graduate of the University of Queensland school of law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mereseini Vuniwaqa</span> Fijian politician (born 1974)

Mereseini Rakuita Vuniwaqa is a Fijian politician, who served as the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation from 2016 until her resignation from the Fiji First Party in 2021. In November 2021, she was appointed as the Global Chair of the Family Planning 2030.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is the principal public agency for conducting criminal prosecutions in the Republic of Ireland. It is led by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Jane Elizabeth Crulci was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Nauru from 2014 - 2017.

Philomena Mbete Mwilu is a Kenyan lawyer and judge, who has served as the Deputy Chief Justice of Kenya and Vice President of the Supreme Court of Kenya since 28 October 2016. Following the retirement of Chief Justice David Maraga, and before Martha Koome was appointed as the Chief Justice, she served as Acting Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya from 11 January 2021 to 19 May 2021, making her the first woman to hold that office.

Paula Vanessa Llewellyn CD KC is a Jamaican lawyer who serves as the country's director of public prosecutions (DPP), in office since 2008. She is the first woman to hold the position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethel Sigimanu</span>

Ethel Falu Sigimanu is a government official in the Solomon Islands. In 2017 she was reassigned from the role of permanent secretary at the Ministry of Women, Youth and Children Affairs to permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs.

Claire Loftus is an Irish solicitor and civil servant who was the Director of Public Prosecutions between 2011 and 2021.

Solomon Islands nationality law is regulated by the 1978 Constitution of Solomon Islands, as amended; the Citizenship Act 2018, and its revisions; and international agreements entered into by the government of Solomon Islands. These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, a national of Solomon Islands. The legal means to acquire nationality, formal legal membership in a nation, differ from the domestic relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship. Solomon Islander nationality is typically obtained either on the principle of jus soli, i.e. by birth in the Solomon Islands or under the rules of jus sanguinis, i.e. by birth abroad to parents with Solomon Islander nationality. It can be granted to persons who have lived in the country for a specific period of time, or who have an affiliation to the country through naturalisation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omowumi Ogunrotimi</span> Lawyer and gender advocate

Omowumi Ogunrotimi is a Nigerian multidisciplinary legal practitioner, founder and executive director of Gender Mobile Initiative. She has worked in over 50 rural communities advocating for safe spaces for vulnerable populations, particularly girls and women.

Alice Komuhangi Khaukha is a Ugandan Lawyer and Judge that has made contributions to the Ugandan legal system. She has held various positions within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and recently became a High Court Judge for international Crimes Division as the Focal Judge for SGBV.

References

  1. 1 2 News, Sol Star (2019-08-01). "Subusola our new DPP". Solomon Star News. Retrieved 2024-04-06.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. 1 2 3 "Solomon Islands appoints first woman DPP". RNZ. 2019-08-02. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  3. "ALFRED JOHN H. V THE STATE: A COMMENT". www.paclii.org. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  4. "Women in Justice Sector agree on coordinated efforts to boost gender equity". UNDP. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
  5. "New Director of Public Prosecution Sworn-in". 2023-09-24. Retrieved 2024-04-06.