GEORGE Speight and two soldiers were yesterday charged with treason for deposing
the elected government on
May 19 and threatening the life of former President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.
No plea was taken for the offence which is punishable by life imprisonment.
They will be tried in the High Court
by September at the latest. The two soldiers who are also charged with Speight
are Vilimone Tikotani and Jitoko
Soko.
The State alleged that the three men and others between May 19 and 27 of July,
or intended to levy war against
the President by gathering arms to overthrow the government. Speight was also
charged for a second count of
conspiring to commit treason with Tikotani, Soko, Timoci Silatolu, Josefa Nata,
Keni Naika and Festikatoa
Ravai.
Speight's chief security adviser Ilisoni Ligairi, Joseva Savua, Tevita Bukarau,
Metuisela Mua, Samu Konataci,
Viliame Sausauwai, James Speight were charged for misprison of treason. The
case will be called in the
Magistrates Court for mention on August 25 and the full disclosure finalised
in the next four weeks where the
case will then be committed to the High Court.
The charges were filed yesterday by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
when Speight and the
group who are being held on Nukulau appeared in court for the second time for
other charges relating to the
May 19 coup.
Chief Magistrate Salesi Temo said he had no jurisdiction to grant bail and
has remanded the group on their
prison island.
Fiji's Daily Post
CHIEF Magistrate Salesi Temo told the court yesterday he was prepared to stand
down from presiding over
criminal case involving George Speight and the group following a motion filed
by State Lawyers on Thursday.
State lawyers Wilisoni Leweniqila and Asishna Prasad asked Mr Temo to transfer
the case to another resident
Magistrate because one the accused, Joji Bakoso is a close relative of Mr Temo.
Mr Temo was to have ruled on
two re-trial issues relating to the validity of the Immunity Decree and the
granting of bail or otherwise, for the
group yesterday.
"As result of the above motion, the court initially felt it futile to
rule on the two matters it was to consider today,"
he said. Mr Temo met with the acting Director of Public of Public Prosecutions
Jo Naguilevu and the defense
lawyers Rabo Matebalavu and Vodo Tuberi to discuss the matter on Thursday afternoon.
"The court advised the parties that given Mr Leweniqila's affidavit it
was prepared to stand down from the case
and assign it to another resident magistrate," "In fact the court
was in the process of using it's powers to transfer
the case to another magistrate. It was formally going to announce it's decision
this afternoon (yesterday)," Mr
Temo said.
He said the accused through their lawyers, Matebalevu and Vodo, yesterday morning
at 10. 15 filed a motion
asking that charges against Bakoso be severed. They also asked that he be charged
separately. Each of the 13
accused also filed affidavits in reply to Lieutenant Colonel Etueni Caucau's
affidavit filed on August 3, Mr Temo
said. He said the accused have alleged various physical assaults meted out to
them by the security forces and
provided medical reports to the court.
"The purpose of the affidavits have been overshadowed by the motion filed
by the prosecution on Thursday and
the motion filed by the defence today.
Fiji's Daily Post
This site is best viewed using Netscape 4.0 or higher.
Any problems or kind suggestions, please email: webmaster@lookinglassdesign.com
last revision 08/15/2000