Fiji treason trial to go ahead

George Speight stands accused of treason

By Red Harrison in Sydney

The High Court of Fiji has rejected an attempt to suspend proceedings for treason against George Speight and nine others accused of overthrowing the government.

The director of public prosecutions had asked for hearings to be suspended indefinitely, claiming that Fiji's chief magistrate, Salesi Temo, was biased in favour of Mr Speight.

Prime Minister Chaudry was held hostage for 56 days

George Speight and his co-conspirators were due to appear before the chief magistrate in a committal hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to take them to trial for treason.

Mr Speight and his fellow accused led a coup against Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry in May 2000, and held him and members of his government hostage for 56 days.

Intimidation fears

The legal dispute centres on 114 witnesses who the prosecution says it intends to call to support charges of treason.

The chief magistrate wants the identity and other details of every witness to be disclosed before the hearing begins.

This, the prosecution says, would be an abuse of the court process and lead to witnesses being intimidated.

The High Court Judge, Nazhat Shameem, disagreed.

No evidence of bias

There was no abuse of procedure, she said, and no evidence that the magistrate was biased.

The prosecution has lodged a separate High Court appeal against the order that witnesses must be named in advance.

Justice Shameem will hear this next week.

Meanwhile Mr Speight and his alleged co-conspirators remain in an offshore island prison.