Court lashes Kiribati government over treatment of Australian-born judge

Australian-born judge David Lambourne, who serves on the high court of Kiribati. The court of appeal says government orders to deport Lambourne were invalid. Photograph: Supplied

Kiribati’s constitutional crisis is no closer to resolution, with the country’s court of appeal criticising the government for its conduct towards suspended high court judge David Lambourne, an Australian citizen.

In an extraordinary judgment on Friday, the appeals court – consisting of three retired New Zealand judges – upheld an earlier decision that had found efforts to undermine Lambourne’s tenure unconstitutional. Lambourne is a longtime resident of Kiribati and formerly the nation’s solicitor general. His wife, Tessie Lambourne, is the opposition leader.