Prison sentences for Fiji assassination conspirators

Campbell Cooney, Pacific correspondent

Last Updated: Fri, 5 Mar 2010 18:36:00 +1100

Fiji's High Court has sentenced the eight man found guilty of conspiring to murder military leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama to between seven and three years in prison.

On Wednesday the eight men were found guilty of conspiring in 2007 to assassinate the interim Prime Minister.

Also implicated was New Zealand businessman Balu Khan, who was also arrested at that time, but later had the charges against him dropped.

Today Justice Paul Madigan sentenced two of them to seven years in prison, with the remaining six sentenced to between four and three year terms.

Naitasiri High chief Ratu Inoke Takiveikata and former Pacific Connex employee Sivaniolo Naulago were both given seven years jail terms while former Fiji Intelligence Services director Metuisela Mua will serve three and a half years.

Former Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) soldier Barbado Mills was jailed for six years and six months and CRW fellow soldier Feoko Gadekibau was given a prison term of five and half years.

Other former CRW men Eparama Waqatakirewa and Pauliasi Namulo were jailed for three years each while fifth CRW figure Kaminieli Vosavere was jailed for four years.

During the trial it was alleged New Zealand's High Commission knew about the conspiracy plot and did nothing to stop it.

That claim has been denied by New Zealand's government

Language News