11 AUGUST 2000 SUVA (Pacnews) - Fijian coup leader George Speight and his
sixteen supporters now face treason charges which carry a maximum sentence
of life imprisonment.
The treason charge was read to Speight and his 16 supporters - all men -- at
a prolonged court sitting which dragged into the evening in the capital
Suva.
Heavily armed soldiers backed by the police's Mobile Force Unit were
deployed in good numbers to keep guard over a large crowd of Speight's
supporters who turned up outside the courthouse.
The Suva-based Pacific News Agency Service, Pacnews says the charges of
treason was a surprising development since Speight and his men are being
charged for the overthrow of the Mahendra Chaudhry Government on May 19.
The news agency said this implied the interim government in Fiji is not
recognising the provision of immunity from prosecution offered to Speight
and his supporters by the then military government.
It also meant the Fijian government is refusing to abide by the terms of the
Muanikau Accord it signed with Speight that led to the release of Chaudhry
and his government members from the parliamentary complex where they were
held hostage for 56 days.
The Accord had specified the granting of immunity to the coup leader and his
supporters.
Altogether, government prosecutors slapped three new charges on Speight and
his 16 other advisers and armed men now in detention at the deserted island
of Nukulau, off the Suva coast.
Speight and the armed men who stormed parliament to overthrow the Chaudhry
Government on May face the first charge of treason.
Speight also face the second charge of conspiracy to commit treason felony
together with his deputy Timoci Silatolu, media adviser Josefa Nata, among
others. This charge alleges, among other things, that the group threatened
the life of former President, Ratu Sir Kamisese.
This in itself is new since previous media reports had spoken of the alleged
threat against the new President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo.
Other supports of Speight are mentioned in the third charge of misprison of
treason. Included under this are Speight's security advisers like former SAS
soldier, Ilisoni Ligairi, former Fiji Intelligence Service boss, Metuisela
Mua, former Fiji Military Forces lawyer Tevita Bukarau and Speight's younger
brother and Australian citizen, Jim Speight.
Presiding magistrate, Salesi Temo deferred any decision on submissions from
state prosecutors he disqualify himself from the case on the grounds he was
related to one of the accused.
He said he would rule on the matter next Friday. He is also expected then to
rule on the validity of the immunity decree that was supposedly granted to
Speight and his men as well as on their application for bail.
Temo also said the charges of treason have to be heard in the High Court.
Speight and his 16 supporters will await their next court appearance on
Nukulau Island.
Meanwhile, over a month of intermittent power supply in Fiji is expected to
normalise with a settlement reached this afternoon between the Fiji
Electricity Authority (FEA) and a group of landowners in the highlands of
Fiji, who own the land where the country's hydro dam at Monasavu is
situated.
The agreement now means that landowners will get a FJ$52 million (US$24.7
million) payout as compensation for the use of their land.
FEA said in a statement that landowners will get a payment of FJ$1million
(US$476,300) for the next five years and FJ$460,000 (US$219,000) for the
next 93 years. The first instalment of FJ$5 million (US$2.38 million) will
be made after the landowners comply with the terms of the agreement.
Under the agreement, landowners will withdraw a pending court action against
the FEA with regards to land leases and compensation for the use of their
land.
Also landowners have given their guarantee not to engage in any activities
which may prejudice or adversely affect the operations of the hydro power
station.
Landowners took over the power station early last month after the coup
leader, George Speight released the hostages from the Parliamentary
complex...PNS (ENDS)
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